Coronation
by Alexandra3
Summary: Everyone thought DG would be the perfect Queen of the O.Z. She wished she had their confidence. Series of stories chronicling DG's reign...and all the problems therein. CDG. Flangst ahead!
1. Coronation

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tin Man. Any and all mistakes are my own.**

**AN: Hi all! This is my first Tin Man fan fic, though I've been obsessed with the thing for months. I'm working on some longer pieces as well, but I won't post them until they're complete, so this will have to do for now. This piece is a bit different for me, but it was fun to write. I would love to hear from you, I love all kinds of feedback, especially constructive criticism. And who knows, I might be convinced to do a series of one-shots about DG's reign. Oh, the possibilities...**

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She didn't think she could do this. She wasn't a girl that gave up easily, but this was beyond her. Beat up Nick Stafford for trying to feel her up in the sixth grade? No problem. Run around an alien world to save her family and defeat the evil witch that imprisoned her sister? Simple. But become queen and rule a country? Nope. Not going to happen.

But it didn't really seem like she had much choice in the matter. In fact, she had been trying to get her mother to change her mind for months, but it was impossible. The reasoning was, Lavender was already dethroned and the people couldn't trust an unseated monarch. And they certainly couldn't trust the woman who had imprisoned her, witch or not. Which meant that DG was left to take the throne. The people wanted their savior princess to rule and that was what the people were going to get.

Course, DG seemed to be the only person to think that this was a bad idea. Incredibly bad. There was the fact that the sum total of her memories from the pre-Kansas era totaled a scant few hours, some of which were terror filled. There was also the fact that all she knew of politics came from a trip to D.C in eighth grade, a government class in high school and a few episodes of _The West Wing_. She better have some damn good advisors, because she was sure she was going to cause some huge diplomatic inside within a day of her reign. Maybe she should start a pool. . .at least she could make some money off of her ineptitude.

A knock at the door startled DG from her thoughts and she sighed. Another thing she had no idea about were the traditions of the Outer Zone. And apparently the coronation of its queen was steeped in ceremonies hundreds of years old and everything about them was—in her mother's words—nonnegotiable.

Which left her in her room, the night before her coronation as Queen of the O.Z, about to leave on a midnight vigil. The suns had long since set and the full moon was high in the sky, bathing the country outside of Central City in a serene glow. The city itself though, was awash in blinking neon and flickering firelight, bouncing against recently whitewashed walls. DG stood on her balcony, high above the city, gazing out across the darkened streets and out towards the green earth. For one second, she desperately wished to be out in the wild again, sleeping along the Old Road, tramping through undergrowth and being the country girl she was raised to be. The knock at her door came again, more insistent this time. She turned away from the landscape and moved towards the entry.

On the other side, Cain was waiting for her, along with half a dozen men as some sort of honor guard. He smiled encouragingly at her, stepping aside so she could pass him. She tried to return the smile, but she felt sick and was unable to do it. It all started now. No turning back. Just one step and it would begin. One small step.

Cain cleared his throat, his smile gone and his blue eyes concerned. DG hadn't moved from her spot in the doorway. She took a deep breath, smoothing her sweaty palms on her plain white dress. It was long sleeved, floor length and formless. She felt like she was wearing a bed sheet. But it was a part of the tradition, that she spend her vigil in a simple white garment, representing the humble purity she would bring to the monarchy.

DG finally moved, her bare feet quiet against the cold marble floor. The men moved around her, their boots making more noise than a full squadron as they marched along. Cain walked half a step behind her, eyes everywhere despite the safety of the palace. She wanted to tell him to relax, that he had nothing to worry about, but it would be pointless, even if she could talk.

Which was yet one more charming tradition she had to adhere to. From the moment she left her room for her vigil, she was not allowed to speak again until she recited her oaths at the coronation the next day. Azkadellia, being the ever helpful sister, had cast a spell on DG that froze her vocal cords, rendering her literally speechless. DG had gaped comically for several minutes while she tried to speak, before giving up and attacking her laughing sister with a pillow. DG understood the sanctity of it all, but that was unnecessary. She couldn't even hum, for crying out loud.

The walk to the Great Hall was over soon enough. Cain stopped her with a hand on her elbow, before ducking past the great gilded doors with three other men to scour the room inside. DG rolled her eyes—considering that she was going to be in there by herself for the next couple of hours, it was going to be the most well-guarded room in the entire country. But that just wouldn't be good enough for Cain; he needed to see for himself that it was secure. Eventually, they all reappeared and the Tin Man held open the door for her so she could pass through.

DG once again found her feet stuck to the floor as she stared at the doorway. One of the guards shuffled his feet and she remembered that she still had an audience. Clenching her hands and eyes straight ahead, she strode forward into the Great Hall, trying desperately not to flinch when the door closed behind her.

The Great Hall wasn't quite as big as the one at the Northern Palace, nor as beautiful as the one at Finaqua, but it was certainly functional—the epitome of a city space. A short staircase led down from the door which she had entered in, a bright red carpet bisecting the stairs and ending at the marble floor. The floor was a deep emerald, polished enough that she could see her reflection in it. Silver lines created diamond patterns on the floor, expanding outward to the walls. A row of jade Corinthian columns were evenly spaced along the perimeter, creating impenetrable shadows in the dimly lit room. Between the columns hung intricate tapestries depicting great moments in the history of the O.Z and the Queens who ruled. Several magnificent crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, but none of them were lit. Moonlight filtered in through a set of high windows, providing the only illumination in broken square pieces on the floor. The Hall was beautiful, even in darkness. But it made her feel all the more insignificant as she padded down the stairs and walked across the expanse. She stopped halfway across the room and sank to the floor, staring ahead.

Even though the room was beautiful, it all focused on one fixture. Opposite from the main door was a raised dias, a dozen steps leading to the platform. Atop it sat the throne, empty, imposing. It was a stiff backed chair, carved out of some dark wood. There were no straight lines on this chair, the wood of the backrest curling and flowing like the wind. The four solid legs of the chair thickened as they descended, resembling roots of a tree. The armrests jutted outward, carved vines in the wood falling down to join the legs. A shaft of moonlight fell upon the chair, highlighting the green upholstery. It was truly the throne of a Queen.

DG drew her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees as she stared at the chair. It was going to be her throne. Though she had had months to get used to the idea, it still didn't make sense to her. She was just a farm girl from Kansas, forget royalty. But then that tornado had come and her whole life had changed. And she had spent the past couple of months trying to adjust.

Adjust. That was the wrong word. Trying to survive sounded better. Saving the world had been the easy part. Then there was a veritable civil war to solve, before they could focus on trying to return the O.Z to its former glory. And those were the large problems, that didn't mention the daily exhaustive grind of her life now. There were her lessons with Tutor to try and rediscover her magic, her lessons with her mother to understand O.Z politics, her lessons with her father to understand the military that she would command, the lessons with Glitch to teach her self-defense, the lessons with Cain to learn how to ride a horse and how to shoot (which she'd had to beg him for), the lessons with Raw on different peoples and customs in the O.Z, the lessons with Azkadellia on etiquette with some lessons for dancing thrown in for flavor.

It was all a horrible joke, she was convinced. Most days she was too tired to do anything but collapse into bed. But she had to learn all of that if she was going to be not only Queen, but a fair and just Queen who supposedly knew what she was doing.

DG snorted. Who was she kidding? She knew she wasn't cut out for this job. Maybe if she had a few more years to prepare then she could give it a shot, but the few months of cram sessions weren't enough. Her family and friends said they would be there to help her while she was getting started, but she didn't think that would be enough. She wished she had someone she could foist half of her duties off on.

But that was a road she wasn't quite ready to go down either. According to her mother, if she was married, her husband would be sitting vigil with her, since he would be Prince Consort. Though the Queen had all final say in troop movements, the Prince Consort was really the troop commander and handled military operations and all security issues. Since she was unmarried, it meant that either DG had to handle it all herself, or she needed to appoint someone to handle it. While she would prefer her father continue on, she knew that he wanted to spend time with her mother and she didn't want to ask him to shoulder that burden again. It looked like she would be doing it, unless she could convince Cain to take on the job.

DG forced her mind away from that line of thought—Cain doing the job normally meant for the Prince Consort. She had enough to worry about at the moment than wondering where exactly she stood with Wyatt Cain. She'd ask him about the job later and that was all she was going to say on the subject. She wouldn't think about how he might be getting experience for later, taking a job where his title might change further down the road. DG groaned and leaned backwards, letting her head crack against the floor. She frowned and brought a hand back to massage her head while she mouthed the word 'ow'.

As she stared at the chandelier above her, she strained her ears for any sounds. She couldn't hear the guards inevitably patrolling outside or much of anything. There was the faintest echo of the city though, of cars rumbling by and people yelling at each other late into the night. The Great Hall was much closer to street level than her room was. She closed her eyes, trying to picture the people and the streets outside.

These people. They had asked for her. Asked to be led by this young, eccentric princess. They cheered her every time she went out in public, heralded her as the savior of the O.Z. Many of them tied their well-being directly to her, saying how everything had suddenly taken a turn for the worst with her 'death' as a child. And now, with her return, things were starting to look up. They loved her. They believed in her. And they trusted her.

That thought brought tears to her eyes and DG quickly wiped them away. So many families had found themselves torn apart or destroyed altogether by the witch. But the world had changed. The witch was gone, the House of Gale restored and the suns shining bright upon the land every day. That alone gave them hope. And they thought that she could continue to keep their hope alive and strong. And after fifteen years of hell, didn't they deserve that? Who was she to deny them anything?

Getting to her feet, DG circled the outer perimeter of the room, checking behind each of the pillars, fingers gliding across the surfaces. She continually found her eyes drawn back to the throne, almost ominous in its aura. Her eyes also drifted to the heavy brocade curtains behind the throne which shielded a set of doors that led to a balcony. That balcony stretched over one of the main squares, stories below. She would stand on that balcony tomorrow to be formally presented to the people. She snickered at the thought of Cain throwing a fit about that, being out in the open and a prime target to anyone with a sniper rifle and a grudge. Though she always thought he overreacts, DG couldn't help but agree with him on this one. Of course, the entire royal guard was going to be active, every reinstated Tin Man was going to be patrolling the streets and even a few viewers were going to be on hand, trying to sift out any ill intent. She was going to be pretty well-protected.

DG was supposed to be spending the entire vigil contemplating her future reign and how she was going to help the greater good. Initially, she thought that she was either going to end up falling asleep on the throne or the floor (not a problem, she wasn't going near that chair and the floor was too cold to sleep) or she was going to drive herself insane counting the tiles in the ceiling (also not a problem, it was too dark to tell if there even _were_ tiles in the ceiling). So instead, DG spent the time doing what she should have been doing—contemplating her reign and everything in her life that had led her to this moment.

She was sitting on the floor again, her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them when the suns first peeked over the horizon. Staring at the throne once again, she didn't notice when the door opened or Cain quietly stepped through. He stood for a moment, lips quirking at the sight of her huddled form, eyes wide and vacant. He half expected her to be asleep, but was proud to see her wide-awake. He cleared his throat and her head twisted to see him. She quickly climbed to her feet, joints cracking from sitting in one spot for so long. She winced but made her way across the floor and up the stairs. Before she passed him into the hallway, she turned around and looked at the throne one more time. She bit her lip and sighed, then preceded him into the hallway, following her honor guard back up the stairs to her room.

Waiting for her were several maids to help her get ready. A steaming bath was already drawn for her and she shooed them out of the bathroom (with a great deal of gesticulating) so she could take her time and soak. She didn't care about being on time, right now she needed to take a moment and relax. Lord knew when she would next get a moment to breathe. . .probably not for a few years, so she was going to take advantage now.

DG sighed deeply and sank into the water up to her chin. The only bit that this royalty thing had going for it was being pampered. But even that got old real quick. DG had dismissed all of her maids almost immediately—just because she was a princess didn't mean she couldn't dress herself. Besides, she still stubbornly adhered to her Other Side fashion sense and refused to relinquish her jeans and t-shirts. And she certainly didn't need help getting into that. The maids still cleaned up the room while she was gone and tended to the fire, but she didn't care as long as they weren't present while she was there. That would just be creepy.

But they were going to have to help her today because she simply couldn't get into her dress on her own. DG had tried to convince her mother to let her wear something a little less complicated and a little less. . .extravagant. But that was another one of the nonnegotiable aspects of her coronation. Apparently, the Queens of the O.Z had been wearing the same style of dress during the ceremony for six hundred years. Yeah, that was an argument she couldn't win. So, she was stuck with the monstrosity.

Speaking of which, it was about time she got out and started getting ready. The water was cold and her fingers were all wrinkled anyway. Quickly toweling off, she wrapped herself up in a robe, took one last cleansing breath, then entered the lion's den. Almost instantly, the maids were swarming around her, ushering her to sit in front of the vanity where they could tend to her makeup and hair.

DG had to silently fume as they pulled at her hair, forcing it up into some elaborate twist that left little ringlets hanging down, brushing her shoulders. They tried to cake pounds of makeup onto her face, but she had pulled some of the bottles out of their hands before they could open them, refusing to let them turn her into a clown. And since she wasn't able to speak, she could only glare and hope they got the message. The whole experience was made worse by the fact that the maids worked in silence, barely speaking unless it was to get a quick opinion or have someone pass them something from across the table. DG wasn't adverse to quiet time, but she was about ready to scream and their silence wasn't helping.

Once hair and makeup was done though, it was time to force herself into the dress. And, lucky her, she had to wear a corset. The only good thing about a corset was that it gave her some impressive cleavage, where there definitely wasn't any before. She wasn't sure that the tradeoff of asphyxiation was worth it though. Once the corset was laced up she stood still as they basically sowed her into her gown.

The fabric was beautiful, she would say that about it. It was some sleek silver material, soft as silk. All along the hem and the seems was delicate embroidery in emerald thread, invisible from far away, but incredibly intricate close up. The silver seemed to shimmer as she moved, almost changing colors. The gown itself was strapless, the bodice adorned with vertical rows of the tinniest pearls. The skirts flowed outward in a huge plume of silver fabric, the emerald thread weaving throughout the material, condensing into shifting swirls. Behind her stretched a train nearly six feet long, the delicate embroidery continuing along the edge. In the front, the skirts split down the middle to allow for easier walking, revealing several layers of fabric and allowing her feet to poke through.

Which was the top of the entire outfit. As ridiculous as DG thought the dress was, nothing topped the shoes. They were red. And they sparkled. Another nonnegotiable part of this costume. She had to wear ruby slippers, despite the fact she was wearing silver and green. Apparently they didn't care about clashing. At least they were flats, that made her happy. She was almost ready.

The very last bit needed was the necklace. The emerald of the eclipse had been taken out of that horrible silver binding and strung onto a simple silver chain. One of the maids reverently clasped it around her neck, the gem falling just above her breasts. She wore no other jewelry, just the emerald. And as the maids stepped back, DG stared at the woman in the mirror, amazed and a little scared. That woman looked like royalty. She looked like she knew what she was doing. DG wished she had her confidence.

But there was no more time to worry about it now. Because she was going to be late for her own coronation. So she walked to the door, glancing behind her to make sure the train didn't get caught on anything. She paused before the entryway, allowing one of the maids to open the door.

Cain stood on the other side, calmly waiting, clad in his abhorred black dress uniform. He turned at the sound of the opening door and DG had the pleasure of seeing his eyes widen and his mouth fall open slowly. Well, she would give props to whatever dress could make Wyatt Cain speechless. Desperately wishing that she could make fun of him, she instead settled for raising an eyebrow, trying to ignore the blush she could feel rise up her cheeks.

Cain cleared his throat, shaking his head slightly. With a smile and a tip of an imaginary hat (damn dress uniform didn't make an allowance for a hat), he motioned her forward. Once again surrounded by an immaculately dressed honor guard, they made their way down the corridors and stairwells (which was a trick given her big poofy dress) and to the Great Hall. It felt like the entire palace was deserted, no one in sight. Of course, that wasn't true. Most everyone was either patrolling the grounds or already in the Great Hall, waiting for her to make her appearance.

The continued silence just continued to grate on her as they walked down the final hallway to the gilded doors, firmly closed. The guards peeled off to the side, standing at attention. The doors wouldn't open until she gave the signal that she was ready. But she didn't think that that moment would ever come.

In fact, she _knew_ that moment would never come. With a rush of terror she stood frozen, staring at the doors. All of her insecurities came back to her, slamming into her body one by one. She couldn't do this. She couldn't be what these people wanted or needed. She managed to offend at least one person a day, how did they expect her to run a whole country? She couldn't do this. Nope. She had never backed down from a fight before, but this was one she didn't even want to try to win.

She was a deer in headlights, staring at the closed doors, imagining the packed Hall beyond. She couldn't breathe. And when she opened her mouth to speak, the silencing spell tightened like a vice around her vocal cords and she began to panic more. She had no control over herself as she pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart racing beneath her clammy skin.

But suddenly Cain was in front of her. "Princess, you have to calm down." But instead of his soothing voice helping, the nickname he always used for her made things worse. She wasn't going to be a princess any more. She was going to be a queen. Her frightened eyes darted to him. He quickly shifted so that he blocked her view of the door and then took her hands in his own. "Come on, kiddo, you have to relax here or you're going to pass out. Take a deep breath."

She tried to take a shuddering breath, but the stupid corset was trying to kill her. Cain placed her hands on his chest, right over his heart so she could feel the steady beat. "Try to match my breathing. Take a deep breath. Slowly. You can do this, DG, just focus." She closed her eyes and instead focused on her hands and the beat beneath her palm. One desperate minute passed as she fought to make her breathing match his. Finally, she was able to breathe, able to feel like she wasn't going to pass out.

She opened her eyes after one more shuddering breath. Cain's concerned eyes met hers, her hands still on his chest. "Better?" She weakly smiled, her eyes sliding past him to the doors before her face crumpled. She had never felt so insecure in her life as at that moment, about to step into her turbulent future. She was terrified. Not just of screwing up the country, but of disappointing everyone that had put so much faith in her.

A calloused hand on her face brought her eyes back to Cain's. "DG, listen to me. I know you can't talk and that's probably driving you insane, but just listen. You can do this." She began to shake her head but he grasped her chin, stopping her. "Yes, you can. It's not going to be easy. There are going to be a lot of problems along the way because this country is far from its former glory. But you can help it get back to that point. It'll take time, but you can do it. You'll learn the politics and the military and the etiquette and everything else that you've been worrying about. It will all come easier to you after a while. I know you can do this."

She frowned at him, wondering just why he had such confidence in her when she didn't have any. Reading her mind, he smiled, squeezing her hands. "I know you can do this because you are exactly what this country needs. When I first saw you, you were this little sliver a girl, running to save a stranger's family with nothing more than a slip of bark in her hands. Not many would do that. You trusted a headcase, a broken man and a coward with your life and you never looked back. And your courage, intelligence and heart lead you to make the right decision. That girl I first met couldn't do this. But you aren't that girl anymore. You've grown into a beautiful woman and I am honored to know you."

Even if DG could talk, she would be rendered speechless by his admission. He was not a man given for heartfelt words of any sort, which made this so much more important. She actually felt tears prick at her eyes, but she blinked them away. Cain smiled then, one of his rare, full blown smiles that made her weak in the knees. Before he released her hands, he said one more thing to her. "I'm proud of you, DG. You've taken everything two separate worlds have thrown at you and you've come out on top. Whatever happens today, tomorrow, or ten years from now, I'm always going to be proud of you."

Unable to stop herself, DG threw herself at Cain, wrapping her arms around his neck. Queen or no, she was still going to be fond of impromptu hugs. The guards around them—studiously ignoring the scene—grew to love their new monarch all the more; not just because she was human enough to be scared, but because she was still clearly the farm girl from the Other Side. It was why the people would always love her.

DG kissed his cheek as she pulled away. She smiled at him, a grateful, confident smile that let him know that she was alright. She could do this. He gave a short bow and then stepped back, leaving her to face the doors once again. DG smoothed out her skirts and took a breath. Head held high, she signaled the doormen that she was ready.

The doors slid open smoothly, revealing the transformed Great Hall. Not nearly as imposing as it was last night, it was packed with noblemen and courtiers from across the O.Z. The light from the ablaze chandeliers reflected off of every kind of color ensemble as the delegates from different people and lands were dressed in their finest. The center aisle was clear all the way to the dias where her parents and sister waited, along with a Justice, an old political official from some court or other that was always given the honor of crowning the Queen.

Carefully, DG started forward, taking the stairs slowly, her ruby slippers flashing with each step. She refused to start the coronation by falling flat on her face, so she moved a bit slower than was strictly necessary. She tried not to look at the people on either side of her as she walked across the marble floor. They were all unnervingly silent. She instead looked at her family. Her mother and father stood off to the right, dressed in immaculate clothes, looking every bit the royal family. They both smiled proudly at her, hands covertly clasped between them. Next to them stood Azkadellia, dressed in a simple gown of ivory, black hair cascading down her back. She was demure and elegant, everything the witch was not. She smiled at her sister encouragingly and DG was bolstered by their support.

She was at the stairs though and brought her attention to the ceremony at hand. She carefully walked up the stairs and stopped two from the top directly before the Justice. He was a rather portly man with a smattering of gray hair. He was clothed in a simple blue robe, belted at the waist with a silver rope. He looked down on her sternly, but there was a decided twinkle in his eyes as he spoke.

"Crown Princess Dorothy." His voice reverberated throughout the Hall, easily reaching everyone's ears. She almost flinched at the sudden sound, but stood her ground, staring up at him, hands clasped before her. "You come before us now, seeking the Crown. Speak the Oaths of the Land, that we may grant your desire."

DG took a moment, recalling the words she had spent days memorizing. She could feel the spell around her vocal cords vanish. Refusing to look at Az, she kept her eyes on the Justice and spoke the ancient words, praying her voice wouldn't crack from disuse. "Before you, I come to seek the Throne of the Outer Zone. I come, ready to devote my being to the benefit of this world. I will protect this land and its people with my magic and body, sparing no expense for their safety. I will share in their prosperity and their despair, for their lives are tied with mine.

"I will be mother and daughter to these people, teaching as well as allowing myself to be taught. I will journey along the Old Road of this land, restoring beauty where it is lost and ending that which has poisoned it. I will mourn with the grief-stricken and rejoice with the victorious. I give my soul to this land for all eternity as I call upon my ancestors to guide me. Before you I come, humble and ready, for this greatest responsibility."

Slowly, she bowed her head and kneeled upon the stairs, her speech done. She had been half tempted to write it out on her hand, but it wouldn't fit. No worries, she had gotten through it just fine. The Justice moved above her, but she had to keep her head lowered and was unable to see what he was doing.

"With your Oaths spoken, I grant you this Crown, this Throne, this Land and this People as your charges. Watch over them as beloved children, guide them through trials and protect them from peril. Give them your life, as they will give you theirs." Her breath hitched as a weight settled upon her head. The silver crown, a rather lopsided piece that stretched higher on one side than the other, was now upon her head. She looked up, able to see the smile of the Justice before her and her family's grins out of the corner of her eyes.

The Justice stepped back and to the side. "We honor our Lady, Queen Dorothy of the House of Gale!" DG, hardly able to believe it, stood up and turned around. All before her, the delegates and nobles of the entire world bowed. In the front row, grinning wildly was Glitch. Raw was next to him, representing the Viewers. Both of them looked at her proudly from their place on bended knee. Her eyes slid over the people towards the back. Cain stood at the top of the stairs, grinning proudly at her. He bowed when she looked at him and she couldn't stop her answering smile.

"Your Majesty." The Justice was motioning to the back of the dias where the brocade curtains were pulled back to reveal the door. With her family smiling and following behind her, DG calmly walked past her throne. Two guards opened the doors, letting the room flood with sound from Central City. The moment she stepped onto the balcony, cheers erupted all around her. The square below was absolutely packed with people, all waving silver and green banners with the symbol from the House of Gale imprinted on it. They cheered and waved at her, some whistled, others chanted her name. Kids leaned out of windows and climbed light poles to get a better look at her. And all she could do was stare at the crowd.

But then she knew. Staring at these people, _her_ people, she knew. She could do this. She could be the Queen they deserved. The Queen they wanted. She could do this. She _would_ do this.

For them.

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I hope you all enjoyed it! Now please, click the little review button and let me know what you think!


	2. The First Day

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. Rated for one instance of profanity. Much longer author's note at the bottom, but for now, enjoy!**

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The suns were still at rest when DG stepped into her office for the first time. _Her_ office. Not her mother's, but her own. The coronation was a scant few hours behind her and most of the guests were still sleeping off the party—and would be until at least midday.

But not the newly crowned Queen of the O.Z. She had danced and smiled and greeted nobles all night long until she was nearly dead on her feet. But then, despite the fact that she had been two days without sleep, she laid awake in bed, staring at her arched ceiling. All she could think about was those cheering people in Central City, all celebrating because their savior princess was going to lead them to a bright new age. She was terrified of letting them down. So she wouldn't. If there was one quality she possessed in spades, it was stubbornness (or hard-headedness, if you wanted to be blunt).

For the past couple weeks, in preparation of taking over the throne, she had been spending more and more time with her mother, learning the ins and outs of diplomacy, studying what strategies to use in what situations and figuring out the state of the land and its people. Needless to say, she had a lot to learn. But despite her lingering doubts—and there were many—she was confident enough that she could handle things. Or at least make enough of a show of handling things until she could run for help.

With her mind going a mile a minute, she finally stopped trying to sleep. Her body was exhausted, but her brain was not going to shut down. So, she got up and got dressed, determined to use the time wisely. Choosing the proper clothes took more time than she would like to admit. Because even though she was determined to keep her pants and t-shirts, she felt weird about wearing them when acting in an official capacity. So, she picked out a simple blue summer dress instead. The key was to dress sharp for the first few days of the new job until you figured out what you could get away with. She could suck it up for a while at least.

One thing still remained before she was ready though. She walked over to her vanity and carefully picked up the silver and emerald tiara. The crown she wore for her coronation was only used during state events. . .which was good, because that thing was _heavy_. She swore she could feel the indents in her skull from the thing. But this tiara was simple and lightweight and much less ostentatious. She was supposed to wear it while holding court or conducting meetings or doing any hundreds of things. So, on her head it went. At least until she took it off and lost it. Which was bound to happen. Only she could lose a priceless artifact.

One deep breath and she was ready to start her reign as Queen. When she opened the door to her room, the guards outside barely flinched. Before her coronation, she had had guards of course. But she had been able to slip past them sometimes or even just convince them to leave entirely (though that was only when Cain was with her). Now though, she would always have guards with her, even when she slept and did business. She gave herself three days before she went crazy. As she started down the hallway, her guards fell in behind her. One nearly walked on her heels.

Maybe two days.

They remained silent as she went, not asking her where she was going or why she wasn't asleep. They just followed. Which was what they were supposed to do, but it was still creepy. No one else was in the hallways; everyone was still asleep since the suns wouldn't rise for a few hours yet. She had even beaten Wyatt I'm-a-robot-and-don't-need-sleep-like-you-puny-humans Cain. She was tempted to go wake him up, just to see the look on his face, but she had to talk to him later anyway. And that was a meeting she wasn't all that sure about.

In fact, most of her meetings today she wasn't sure about. Some were just routine, status reports on various departments. But some would be a bit more unpredictable, like the one with Cain and the one with a nobleman later. She squared her shoulders as she entered her office. There was nothing she could do about it now.

The spacious room was empty, none of her advisors or clerks present. Bookshelves lined the walls, crammed with cracked, colorful spines. One shelf held important gifts or heirlooms, glinting in the firelight. The panoramic windows to the balcony were shut and she opened them to get some fresh air into the room. Though the palace was asleep, the rest of the city was wide awake, proven as cars roared by and pedestrians laughed. Though she longed for the wide open spaces of her adolescence, the city still had a certain appeal to her. She promised herself to go exploring one day—whether the guards would be with her or not was another matter.

Speaking of, only one of the guards was left in the office with her. The others had quickly lit the lamps to give her some light before returning to the hallway to do what they do best—watch. The one that remained was the head of her detail, a honorable man named Norris who had been part of the resistance for many years. He was as big as a barn door with a left cheek pockmarked by shrapnel years ago. He was terrifying on first glance, but DG was convinced he was a teddy bear.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Your Majesty? The servants should be by shortly; I don't think anyone was expecting you to be up quite this early."

DG grinned wryly. "Yeah, well, I wasn't expecting to be up this early either. I'm fine, Norris, I'm just going to get an early start on the day. Could you do me a favor though and when my father is up, let him know that I want to see him?"

"Of course, Your Majesty."

DG winced. "And how about you knock off the royal epithets? My name is DG, the new sparkly headgear doesn't change that."

Norris bowed. "I will try, my Lady."

She rolled her eyes. "Cute. Don't you have a blank stretch of hallway to glare into submission or something?" The guard inclined his head, his lips pressed together, his eyes crinkling with amusement. He exited the room and closed the door behind him, fully devoted to his Queen's safety.

Alone, DG approached the large oak desk, stacked with papers. Some were piles that she knew about, things that had to be discussed with various officials. But some were new and with a sigh and the slightest thrill at this new adventure (one with decidedly less time spent running for her life), she dropped into the cushy leather chair and started reading.

For two hours she sat, examining each document carefully before either signing off on it or putting it in a certain pile to be directed to the appropriate person. She found herself surprisingly engrossed in the work, considering how tedious it could be. Honestly, she was even amazed with herself over how many issues she already knew how to handle. But for now, the job still had a bit of a sheen to it and that new car smell, so it was easy to keep content. Course, everything had been easy for now; she would wait to see how things changed when the wind shifted.

The suns were just beginning to peak over the horizon when a knock came at her door. Startled, DG looked up from her desk. She opened her mouth to talk, but wasn't quite sure what to say. Normally, she would go and open the door, but this was her office, not her bedroom. Besides, she thought she was supposed to look imposing behind the desk, not answering the door and revealing just how short she was. So, awkwardly, DG called out, "Come."

The door swung open and Ahamo walked inside, grinning broadly. DG jumped up and circled the desk to give her father a hug. "I didn't think you would be up for another few hours!"

Ahamo laughed. "Me? Spitfire, no one thought you would be up until noon, what with your vigil and all. You should have seen your mother's face when she heard you were already up and conducting business."

DG blushed. "I couldn't sleep, so I figured I might as well be helpful to somebody."

Ahamo held her at arm's length, eyes ghosting over her face. "DG, I'm proud of you. You've taken to this better than I did and I had a lot more time to deal with it than you have. You're going to do great. You're a smart girl and I know you can handle this."

Her blush deepened as she stammered. "Thanks, Dad. Uh, have a seat, I have something I need to talk to you about." He took a seat in one of the low-backed, wooden chairs in front of her desk. Rather than sit in her throne-like seat, she instead took the other chair next to her father. "I need to talk to you about the Consort's position as Troop Commander."

Ahamo's brow furrowed. "DG, you know I'll continue with those duties for as long as you need me to, until you get married. You don't have to ask."

"I don't want you to have to do that though." He frowned and she rushed to explain herself. "You and mother both put your lives on hold for fifteen years while you waited for the witch to be defeated. You sacrificed everything for this cause. And frankly, you've earned the same vacation that she has. You both deserve to spend the years together and without unwanted responsibilities."

He reached forward and grasped her hand in his own. "I wouldn't be volunteering if I didn't want to do it. You need someone you can trust in that position. And your mother and I can wait until you get married to have more time together."

DG hadn't winced the first time he mentioned the word 'married' but she came close to it this time. That was not a train of thought she was ready to seriously consider yet. So she moved on. "I know. But I still would rather that you start retirement now, start collecting on Social Security, or whatever kind of pension that you may have coming." He chuckled and squeezed her hand. "How long would it take to train a replacement?"

"Depends on who it is. Some are more apt than others and obviously, the more military knowledge the better. Did you have someone specific in mind?"

Biting the inside of her cheek, DG tried to keep her voice flat. "I was thinking maybe I could con Cain into doing it."

Ahamo stared at her before he burst out laughing. "I'm sure you could. From what I've seen, you're the only person besides his son who can 'con' him into doing anything." DG felt her face flush once again and she silently cursed. She needed to get over that—Queens shouldn't blush every five minutes. "I don't think you could make a better choice though. Wyatt Cain is a good man, smart and trustworthy. He pretty much runs the palace security already, so this wouldn't be that much different. He just needs to be brought up to date on some of the more covert subjects and taught certain procedures. He could be up to speed and able to take the position in less than a month I would think."

DG nodded. She was glad that her father approved the choice—frankly she didn't have any other candidates, so she would be in trouble if he thought better of it. But they both agreed on Cain, so now they only had to get the man himself to go along with it. "Good. The quicker that happens, the quicker you can relax. I'll ask him later today."

"If he has any questions or wants to know exactly what the position would entail, tell him to come find me. I want you to know though, that I'll stay on if he says no. You can't get rid of me that easily."

She stood up and grinned. "Oh, I'm not getting rid of you. After all, you know more about the Realm of the Unwanted than everyone else in the Palace combined. I'm just trying to move you from full-time to part-time. The benefits won't decrease, don't worry."

Ahamo laughed again. "Well, that's good to know. I have to go update your mother, who is valiantly trying to stay out of your way. She is convinced that you need to handle your first day alone and she won't interfere. But don't be surprised if she shows up later anyway to check on you. Let me know what Cain says."

"Of course." She hugged him tightly, relieved to know that he would still be there if things fell through. He kissed her cheek before leaving, closing the door behind him. DG took a moment to stretch , twisting around until her back cracked. Sitting in a chair for hours on end, no matter how comfortable it may be, took its toll on your body. So she carefully worked out all her muscles before once again sinking into her chair and returning to her papers.

Perhaps another hour had passed when someone else knocked at her door. She still hesitated, wanting to go open the door, but knew that this was how things were going to have to be when she was in her office. So, she looked down to sign the requisition in front of her and called out, "Come!"

"Hey there, Highness."

DG's head shot up and she couldn't stop her grin. "Cain!" She paused and frowned. "Wait, Highness? You've never called me that before."

Wyatt Cain had taken off his hat when he entered the room and his fingers played with the brim before he finally tucked it underneath one of his arms. "It doesn't quite seem appropriate to call you kiddo anymore. And Princess would just be inaccurate."

DG rolled her eyes. "Have you ever thought about calling me, DG? You know, my name?"

Cain raised an eyebrow, but kept the rest of his face stoic. "Of course not." She huffed and threw her hands up before leaning back in her chair. The Tin Man closed the door behind him before moving further into the room. "Why were you up so early? I would think I would have had to drag you out of bed today."

She sighed and rubbed a hand over her eyes. "Couldn't sleep. Just kept thinking about this huge responsibility and everything I have to do to get this country back into shape. I finally just gave up trying to sleep and came here, figuring I could at least get some work done."

Slowly, he sank into one of the chairs in front of her desk, placing his hat on his knee. "I'm sure you're doing fine. Just remember everything your mother taught you and know when to call for help. I meant what I said last night—you are exactly what this country needs. You just need to trust yourself and your decisions."

"I'm working on it, don't worry." She was about to put her feet on the edge of the desk and tilt backwards when she remembered she was wearing a dress and that probably wouldn't be appropriate. So she slouched instead. "So what brings you here to my humble office crammed with books I've never read? Besides to give me a pep talk."

"I ran into your father and he said that you needed to talk to me."

DG groaned and pulled herself back into a proper sitting position. "Right. Look, Cain. I'm going to ask you something. And I want you to know that you don't have to do it, I'm not going to force you or anything. And you can have time to think about it if you want."

Cain subconsciously tensed. "Alright. What is it?"

Leaning forward, she folded her hands on the desk. "I was hoping that you would take over the Consort's job." Both his eyebrows shot upward and DG's eyes instantly widened. "Oh, no, not like that! I mean, I'll need someone for that eventually, but I meant the position of Troop Commander, not the Consort part! Jesus, that was not how I meant for that to come out." She reached upward to thread a hand through her hair, but got it tangled in the tiara. She tugged her hand lose, unaware that the crown now sat lopsidedly on her head. "Let me start over. Cain, I was hoping that you would be my Troop Commander."

Surprised by the offer, he leaned back and crossed his arms over his broad chest. His face was impassive though and DG had no idea what he was thinking. "Why me?"

She snorted. "I'm barely going to be keeping my head above water as it is; if I have to manage the military too, I'll drown. I have the final say in all movements, obviously, but I need someone I can trust in that position. With your experience, you would be perfect for it. And you've never lied to me, so I know I can count on you to give me your honest opinion and lead me through whatever I don't understand, which is what I'm going to need most of all."

"What about Ahamo? Surely he would continue on?"

DG shook her head. "I know he would, he said as much. But he deserves a break as much as my mother does. And if I can, I'm going to give that to him." She carefully watched his face, anxious for any sign. Of course, he had less expression than a stone wall. "Like I said, you can have some time to think about it. Dad even said you can talk to him if you want more info or something. Just promise me you'll consider it."

Cain nodded. "I'll think about it and let you know. Is that all, Highness?"

DG scowled at the name and briefly considered throwing something at him. "For now, yes. Go do whatever it is you do and let me get back to work."

The Tin Man bowed low before her. "Of course, Your Majesty." This time DG did throw her pen at him, but he dodged it, letting it hit the floor and roll underneath a small table in the corner. He chuckled and quickly left the office, DG fuming after him. Because now she had to go get her pen.

She was on her hands and knees reaching towards the wall when the door flew open. "DG!" Azkadellia called. DG's head crashed against the table and she cursed, pen firmly in hand. She crawled out and glared at her all too cheerful sister.

"Thanks for knocking," she scowled, smacking her dress to get rid of the dust. "Can I help you?"

Azkadellia walked over to the table DG had just hurt herself on and placed a tray with food on it. "You worked through breakfast, so I brought you something."

DG eyed her for a minute, as if she was expecting some kind of ulterior motive. She shrugged and grabbed an apple from the tray. "Thanks. So, how many people looked like death warmed over at breakfast?"

Azkadellia laughed. "Glitch looked a little worse for wear—paler than normal if that's possible. One of the guards looked like he was about to be sick into a potted plant. I think I heard a maid groaning behind a door before she came out with a straight face. Everyone seems to still be recovering from your party except you." She raised an eyebrow. "So, want to tell me why you didn't sleep last night?"

Rolling her eyes, DG took a big bite of her apple. "Dad and Cain have already asked me, alright? I'm fine, I just couldn't get my mind to take a break, so I came here. Why are you all freaking out about this so much?"

Her sister's smile dropped. "Because we don't want you to work yourself into the ground, Deeg. You don't let things go, you have to try and solve every problem you can and that's going to take its toll if you're not careful."

"Az, it's the _first day_. I haven't even gotten off the ground yet, let alone been given the opportunity to crash and burn."

Azkadellia frowned at the odd expression, but shook her head. "You're just going to have to accept that we're all going to be watching you closely the next couple of weeks. Not to see how you do with decisions or anything, but to make sure that you don't wear yourself out. That includes making sure you eat and sleep."

DG was tempted to tell her that she was fine and that they shouldn't worry. But she knew that wasn't true. She was going to need all the help she can get and she wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. At least until it started to pester her then it was getting made into glue. Impulsively, she hugged her sister. "Thanks, Az. I'll try to be careful, but it's good to know that you're going to be keeping an eye on me anyway. At least you explain yourself, rather than Cain who just stares and expects to be understood."

The princess grinned. "Deeg, Cain was the one to suggest we bring you breakfast." The Queen's mouth fell open, bits of chewed apple still clinging to her tongue. Az reached over and closed her jaw. "Why does that surprise you?"

"Because that man is freaking everywhere! He's got some creepy 'DG sense' or something that tells him exactly where I am and what I need. Doesn't anyone else find it creepy? Maybe I should ask if he was bitten by a radioactive spider or something in his childhood."

Azkadellia frowned again, losing her sister's train of thought. "Though I have no idea what you're talking about, you should be thankful he keeps such a close watch on you—it's going to save you a lot of time and effort."

"Yeah, yeah. As much as I love bonding with you, Az, I've got a kingdom to figure out. Any last words of wisdom?"

The princess studied her for a moment, before reaching up and resettling the tiara on her head. "It helps to wear the crown straight rather than off-kilter."

"Thanks. Now, run along, little girl, let the adults do their work." Azkadellia laughed as DG literally shooed her from the room. Once the door was closed, DG took a moment to smile. Her sister was finally starting to grow into the woman she should have always been: a woman prone to laughter and mischievousness, with a love of relaxing, carefree days with her sister and friends. It was another reminder as to why she had agreed to this job—so her entire family could heal from their various ordeals.

Contentedly munching on her apple, she sat back down and continued with her paperwork. For the rest of the morning and well into the afternoon she was in constant meetings with advisors and department heads, listening to everything from an estimate of how much this year's harvest would be to whether or not the Northern Palace was going to be properly thawed this season. Some of it was boring, some of it was interesting, but all of it made her head hurt.

She figured that it had to do with not eating anything since breakfast. At some point during her meetings, a new tray of food had materialized on the table and DG took a small break to attack it with relish. Even though she had been doing nothing more strenuous than signing her name all day (and her hand was cramped like hell because of that), she was starving. And most definitely starting to feel tired.

It was just a lot of information to take in. Sure, she knew all of that while sitting at her mother's side, listening to the reports. But honestly, then she had zoned out half the time and started thinking about what picture she would draw next or what lesson she had coming up. Now that she was actually paying attention, she was almost overwhelmed by it all. Another thing that she would have to hope would get easier in time.

After another tedious hour or two at her desk, DG stood and methodically stretched all of her limbs, wincing every time that something cracked. In the future, she would have to remember to take more breaks, even if it was just to walk around the room. She stood on the threshold of the balcony, closing her eyes against the setting sun. A stiff breeze whipped her dress around her legs and her hair about her face.

A knock at the door. DG sighed. It was about time for her meeting with that nobleman anyway. "Come in," she called, staying where she was, keeping her eyes closed. He could wait a minute. She heard the door open and someone entered. A tray slid onto the table by the door. Guess she had missed dinner too. She'd make a point to eat with her family tomorrow. Eyes still closed, she stayed where she was, tempted to fall asleep in the sudden calm she had found.

"Highness."

The voice was right behind her. DG shrieked and spun around to see Cain, calmly watching her. "Cain, you _creep_! Are you trying to give me a heart attack or something? Don't do that!" She punched him in the shoulder and stalked back to her desk. "First thing tomorrow I'm putting a bell around your neck so I can hear you."

Cain cocked an eyebrow and moved to stand next to her. "A bell? That might make patrolling difficult, if they know exactly where I am all the time."

DG poked him in the chest viciously. "Don't be a smartass, you know what I mean." She ground the heels of her hands into her eyes, groaning. She was really starting to drag now after about two and a half days of no sleep. "Was there something you wanted, besides to send me into the next life?"

"You missed the meal, _again_, so I brought you something. You need to eat, Highness."

"I know, I know." She dropped into her chair. "Thanks, but I'm not all that hungry. I only have a little more to finish up here for now, then I think I'm going to go pass out."

"You should still—"

With the barest of knocks, the door swung open, certainly before DG could give her permission. Cain had his gun out and pointed before the man had taken a full step inside. He pulled up short at the sight of the weapon, his eyes darting to DG. "Your Majesty?"

DG straightened in her chair and laid a hand on Cain's arm. "It's alright, Cain. Duke Wiggin, in the future, it's best to wait until I give you permission, so I don't have to make excuses for trigger-happy bodyguards." The Duke glanced warily at Cain before he nodded and gave a perfunctory bow. "Please, have a seat."

This meeting was what DG had been worrying about most of the day. Duke Wiggin was the ruler of one of the Black Mountains regions and had control over several of the mines that produced Moratanium. Rather than run or defend his position, he had acquiesced to the Witch's demands and had prospered. Now, with the Witch long defeated and the House of Gale restored, he was trying to adjust to the change and convince them that he was still loyal to the Crown.

DG wasn't inclined to meet with him at all, but the fact was that they still needed the mines. And they needed to decide if the person was truly repentant about his past deeds before they took any action. Frankly, she'd rather oust anybody that had collaborated with the Witch straight off, but she had to admit that some were ashamed and deserved a second chance. So, she was meeting with one of the worst of the offenders to try and get a sense of just what she was going to be up against and how the Witch's subjects were going to respond to the new monarchy.

Clearly, Duke Wiggin had been none the worse for wear the past few months. He was a stocky individual with a definite paunch that strained the fabric of his rich purple tunic with fine gold embroidery along the seams. An obscenely gaudy gold buckle held up his dark pants, tucked into the tops of his fur trimmed boots. Several chains of gold hung around his neck and gems twinkled from his fat fingers. A finely trimmed mustache rested above a thin mouth. His short brown hair was closely cropped and perfectly combed. He sank into the chair before her desk as if he belonged there more than she did.

To DG's surprise, Cain had faded back to the wall behind her, gun holstered. He would know, of course, the Duke's relevance and what he was doing there. Seeing his overfed figure, DG doubted he would be any trouble, but she had to admit it was nice to have Cain there as backup if she should need it. Though she prayed that she wouldn't.

"Now. You have requested an audience with me. Please, begin." She leaned back in her chair, idly noting that in poker, leaning back communicated a position of power. She didn't think this guy got the memo, so it probably had little effect on him. As had the regal tone she used, trying to imitate her mother. She did what she could, but she knew this guy was going to be in a league of his own.

She was right. "I wished to express my pleasure at your coronation and further congratulate you on the action of several months ago. It amazes me that a simple girl from the Other Side could accomplish so much in so little time." Despite the simpering tone, DG was well-aware that she had just been insulted. But she let him continue on, trying to keep her face neutral. "Times have been tough in your absence, with a dethroned monarch and a girl who was not strong enough to fight off an evil possession. Inadequate leadership on many fronts has failed us in the past. But I fervently hope that you will be able to reverse that trend."

Insulting her family as well. She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as she felt her temper begin to rise. She needed to keep cool, but this guy was pushing buttons. And he knew it. "I requested this audience with you today to assure you of my loyalty and present you with a further gift of Moratanium. My workers have continued to mine the mountains and are producing great quantities to match those previously demanded."

That sent a flush up DG's throat as her hands tightened on the arms of her chair. This bastard was still working the miners? She knew the mines were still active, but she had no idea that he hadn't slowed down production. He must be working them until they dropped. And undoubtedly, he was skimming off the top of the operation to give himself such a comfy lifestyle. Well, that was going to end real soon.

"Though I will continue to serve you, I voice the opinion of many in our dissatisfaction with the lack of punishment given to your sister. Your mother may have been too weak to sentence her own daughter, but we believe you to be stronger and able to give proper justice. We have confidence that—"

"Stop." The Duke had been so caught up in his own speech that he failed to notice the flush continue up DG's neck until it flooded her face. And he also failed to notice how her knuckles were white upon her chair. So she had done him a favor and interrupted him. Though he didn't seem to understand that yet.

"I'm sorry?"

"Stop talking. Stop running your mouth before you go so far that you can't go back."

Duke Wiggin flushed at the insult. "You need—"

"_Excuse me?_" The Duke stopped abruptly at DG's tone of voice. Deadly quiet and incredulous. DG leaned forward only slightly, her eyes narrowed. "You do not presume to tell me what to do."

"Of course not. But Dorothy—"

DG jumped up and slammed her hand on the desk. "_Your Majesty_! You will address me as Your Majesty or not at all. I am your Queen and I will not tolerate such disrespect!" The Duke was starting to appear decidedly uneasy and DG was glad for it. Her temper was shot to hell right now and she was about to tear into this guy. And enjoy every second of it. "And while we are at it, you will remember that Queen Lavender ruled justly for many years before she was forced to make the hardest decision ever required of a monarch. She, along with my sister, the Princess Azkadellia, are the two strongest women that I have ever met. And you will respect them as you do me, for they are royalty of the House of Gale. Is that clear?"

Back straight, hands folded in his lap, the Duke nodded. Though she was standing in front of him, he kept his eyes away from hers, instead staring straight ahead. She cleared her throat and he mechanically opened his mouth, "Yes, Your Majesty."

She nodded but did not sit down. A small part of he was enjoying giving this dressing down, enjoying all this authority she could swing around. But most of her was just pissed at this man. "Now, let us talk about your mines."

Apparently back on familiar ground, the Duke loosened up enough to look at her face. "I assure you that production will continue and you will prosper from the mines's output. My workers will continue to work hard."

"No."

He frowned. "No?"

"No, your workers will not continue to work hard. In fact, as soon as you get back, you are going to give them a full week's rest before instituting a lenient, rotating work schedule. And you will give them better pay and more time off."

The Duke looked horrified. "But production—"

"Fuck the production!" If possible, he looked even more horrified at the use of her language, rather than what she was saying. "You have been running those workers into the ground for years, working them until they dropped dead. You have increased their hours, decreased their pay and made the environment as close to hell as possible. And you have come out the better for it. And I will not tolerate this either.

"So, you had better pay attention to me." She waited until his eyes were on hers so he could see her fury and her vehemence. "When I make my tour of the O.Z, I am going to come to your mines. I am going to speak to your workers. And if I find one ailing man, one hungry woman or one barefoot child, I will know who to blame. Because you certainly have enough jewels on you now to feed an entire city, so providing for your people should be no problem. I will not accept nobles profiting while their people suffer. You had better heed my words. Because I will come. Maybe even without warning. And at the slightest hint of unfair treatment or unhappiness, you will be gone. Do you understand?"

The Duke, face pale, nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Good. By the grace of my good nature, I am giving you a second chance. Do not waste it, because there will not be another. Go." The Duke rose and bowed deeply, if a bit stiffly. He turned to the go to the door, but halted at DG's voice. "One more thing. If I hear of any slander against my family again, I shall throw you into the Crack of the O.Z myself." Duke Wiggin scurried out the door, no doubt to get as far away from the palace as he could.

DG remained standing for several moments after he left, breathing heavily. She brought a trembling hand to her face, surprised at both her words and the deadly intent behind them. But she knew she meant every word. She was going to defend her people, no matter what it took. And if that meant putting the fear of God into the noblemen, then so be it.

A hand touched her shoulder and DG yelped, spinning around. "Cain! Jesus, I forgot you were there." Now she was embarrassed that he had seen her go off on that guy. "Hope you enjoyed the show. With any luck, he'll pass the word to his cronies and all the problematic noblemen will shape up and I won't have to do that again."

Cain's hand tightened on her shoulder and she met his eyes. "Highness, no one could have handled that better. I almost hit him the first time he insulted you, but your way was a bit more diplomatic."

She grinned, momentarily entertained by the image of Cain beating the guy. "You don't think threatening to throw him into the Crack of the O.Z was too much?"

"I think it was the perfect touch. I mean it, you did great. More importantly, I think what you did for those miners was great."

With the adrenaline gone, DG sank into her chair once again. She was definitely crashing now. "Good. There's just so much injustice going on, I'm going to have to try and fix it bit by bit. It's a bit slow for my taste, but it's better than nothing." She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. "Was there another reason you came in here? You know, besides trying to scare me to death or force feed me?"

"I wanted to tell you I'll do it."

Her brain was definitely going into hibernation mode. "Do what?"

"Be the Troop Commander."

DG's eyes flew open. He was serious. "Really? I thought you would need more time than this to decide."

Cain shrugged. "Well, I talked to Ahamo about it and it doesn't seem all that difficult. I'll have to get used to not being in the field, but I'll have more control here, so that will make up for it. And it'll be easier to keep an eye on you this way." She snorted. "DG." He used her name so infrequently that it always brought special significance to what he was going to say. "I'm honored that you asked me. And I won't let you down."

Her smile could outshine the suns. And she launched herself out of her chair and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "Thank you thank you! You have no idea what this means to me, Cain! I wasn't going to pressure you into it, but I seriously don't know what I would do if you said no."

It took a moment before his arms went around her waist, but then he hugged her just as tightly. "You would have managed. What do you have to do to make the appointment official?"

DG pulled away from him and opened her mouth to reply, but yawned instead. "Yikes. I'll worry about it tomorrow. Right now, I'm going to bed."

He really must be there to force feed her though. "You should eat something first."

"Please. I feel like I'm about to fall over. I'd probably choke on anything I tried to eat because I'd fall asleep mid-chew. Seriously, I'm going to bed. I've done enough for today."

Cain chuckled and stepped aside so she could precede him out of the office. "Not bad for your first day as Queen."

DG grinned. "Hell, I'm just getting started. Wait until I get to the dress code!" He rolled his eyes, but chuckled ruefully. And so ended the first day in the reign of Queen Dorothy of the House of Gale.

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**Okay, so I caved and decided to make this into a series. Each story that I post will be a oneshot, able to stand on its own. Therefore if I lose interest or run out of ideas, I won't feel like I'm abandoning this story, hehe. Don't worry, I have several ideas (I think exploring DG's reign is fascinating), but who knows how quickly I'll write anything. So, until then, I hope you all enjoy these oneshots. Please let me know what you think, all kinds of feedback, especially constructive criticism, is welcome.**

**I hope you enjoyed it and please read and review and I'll see about getting another one out in a decent amount of time!**


	3. The First Assassination Attempt

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. Heavy flangst ahead!**

* * *

DG had lost her crown.

It was only a matter of time really. Sooner or later, she was going to get annoyed with it and take it off and put it somewhere that she wouldn't remember. Frankly, she thought it was a miracle that she had hung onto it as long as she did. But now, with minutes to spare before a meeting with a nobleman, she was scouring her office, looking for the elusive piece of silver.

Cursing, she pushed stack after stack of paper to the side, hoping it would appear. She then dropped to her knees and crawled under her desk, hoping it was there. It was a good thing she was alone right now, because she doubted she looked very queenly at the moment.

Normally, she wouldn't care how she looked. After more than a month on the throne, she could almost say that she safely had the monarchy in hand. Of course, she still needed to consult with her mother or sister every now and then for help and the country was far from great—but it was getting better and she hadn't completely screwed everything up yet. And that was more than she could hope for.

Today though, was going to test her and she needed to look the part. A man named Korben, an Earl from the Eastern borders, was going to meet with her today. Rumors had been circulating for weeks that he had not only been sheltering Longcoats and other supporters of the Witch, but was actually financing their movements. So she was going to meet him today, try and feel him out, figure out whether the rumors were true and whether he was a threat or not. And then deal with him. Course, she didn't quite know what she would do if the rumors were true, but she'd figure something out. Her threat to Duke Wiggin to throw him into the Crack of the O.Z seemed to work—maybe she could do that.

Just like the Duke, Earl Korben was something of an anomaly. No one really knew what to expect from him, though he had paid all his proper respects at her Coronation. To make sure that everything went smoothly, Cain was going to join the meeting, though he was going to be there officially as the Troop Commander. She couldn't stop the smile that came when she thought of Cain. Ahamo had trained him in record time and already he had overhauled palace security. Not to mention the weight he had taken off her shoulders with his management of the soldiers. She couldn't have picked a better person for the job.

DG climbed to her feet, batted the dust out of her skirt and huffed. Where the hell was her crown? She carefully scanned the entire room and nearly squealed when a glint on the top of a bookshelf caught her eye. She quickly dragged over a chair and climbed up to retrieve her errant headwear. She must have taken it off when she was pulling off books from the top shelf and then forgot to put it back on. Figures.

She was breathing on the silver and trying to buff out a smudge with her skirt when there was a knock at the door. DG quickly dragged the chair back, jammed the crown on her head and hurried to stand behind her desk and look nonchalant. "Come in."

The door opened and Earl Korben walked in and bowed. Average height and average build, he was rather unassuming. He had tough, weather-beaten skin and a dusky goatee, covering a hard-lined jaw. Thick eyebrows rested above shrewd eyes, dominating a face with a receding hairline. He was dressed simply for a nobleman, wearing an unadorned black tunic and trousers, though they were undoubtedly made of rich material. The one thing that stood out were the thick leather bracers he wore about his forearms, traveling from wrist to elbow. They were much bulkier than his arms could possibly be. Intricate swirls decorated the dark brown surface.

Once he straightened up, DG smiled at him. "Welcome, Earl Korben. I hope your trip was okay?"

"It was uneventful, Your Majesty." Korben turned and shut the door and then quietly turned the lock and deadbolt.

DG frowned. "Commander Cain is still going to be joining us for this meeting."

The Earl bowed his head briefly. "Of course. But I wished to speak with you privately, first."

She tried to smile, but it came out strained. "You may do so with the door unlocked. No one will enter without my consent."

"I understand that. But this will only take a moment." He started to walk towards her desk and DG tensed up. Alarm bells started to go off in her head. Something wasn't right. Korben was too calm, too controlled. He wasn't nervous or giddy or anything; he just. . .was. In fact, it was making her decidedly uneasy. Though she knew that her guards searched everyone that came into her presence, she was still starting to feel nervous. Where the hell was Cain?

"I think you should sit and wait for Commander Cain." She spoke in her queenly voice, the one that people obeyed without a second thought. But Korben didn't flinch or drop to his knees or stammer an acknowledgment. He just cocked an eyebrow.

"I promise, Your Highness. This will just take a moment."

That was it, DG was leaving and calling for help. She didn't care if she was overreacting or not, something was wrong and she wasn't sitting in here by herself for another second. She rounded the desk and opened her mouth to call for the guards.

And never got the chance. Korben moved, swiftly. He sidestepped into her path and a long blade popped out of the right bracer around his forearm. Before she could react, he grabbed DG and stabbed the blade into her left side, angling it high so the tip of the blade punctured through her back.

DG cried out as her breath rushed away, the pain crashing into her. Instantly the guards in the hallway called her name and started pounding on the door. But her doors were solid and wouldn't break so easily.

Korben twisted the knife and DG cried out again, feeling blood soak the front and back of her dress. He leaned closer to her, bringing his mouth next to her ear and laughed darkly. "Your death will make a lot of people happy. Finally, an end to the House of Gale. Or at least it will be once we take care of the rest of your family."

Being stabbed wasn't enough. But threatening her family did it. DG was barely able to stand and every movement brought wave after wave of pain. She was losing blood fast and was having trouble concentrating. Her door was quaking with every hit, but the guards still weren't able to break them down. So it was up to her. She wasn't going to let this man win, not if it was the last thing she did.

Dragging her shattered focus together, she called on her magic. She brought all the power and concentration she could muster to bear and gathered it in her hands, coalescing into a bright ball of light. Korben looked down in shock but couldn't do anything to stop her. DG drew in a breath, put her hands against his chest and _pushed._

Korben flew away from her and crashed into a bookshelf against the wall. Books and other artifacts rained down around him and he laid still once the clamor stopped. But now, she was worse off. The blade had ripped out of her body at an angle different than from when it had gone in and there was now a jagged hole in her left side.

DG crashed to her knees, her hands weakly pressing against her side. The guards were yelling, screaming. She raised one bloody hand and pointed at the door. Twirling her finger like she had done in the emerald tomb all those months ago, she rotated the lock and deadbolt. Just as they clicked, she fell backwards and lay on the floor, bleeding everywhere and struggling for breath. Her crown rolled off her head and disappeared into a dusty corner.

The doors slammed open and it took a second for everyone to figure out what happened. "_DG!_" The world burst into sound once again and DG wanted to sigh in relief when Cain popped into her vision. "Ozma," he breathed, eyes running over her body. His head shot up and he began shouting orders. "Get me a healer, _now!_ Throw that son of a bitch into a cell until we can deal with him. And someone get me some coats or blankets. _Hurry!_"

"C - Cain," she said, hoping to get his attention. He looked down at her, one of his hands going to her face and gently wiping away tears. She hadn't even realized she was crying.

"I'm here, DG. You've got to hold on, do you hear me? Stay with me." One of the guards handed him two jackets and Cain quickly bunched one up and placed it under her head for a pillow. The other he ripped in half and pressed against her side. She cried out at the pressure and tried to move away. "Stay still, kiddo."

"Hurts," she gasped, the tears leaking from her eyes again. She wished she could form more than one word sentences, but she could barely concentrate.

"I know it does, but I've got to try and stop the bleeding."

DG felt like being sick. She could still vividly recall the feel of the blade as it slid through her body, the force it used as it broke her skin. . .front and back. "Cain," she said, coughing. "My back."

Cain frowned, continuing to hold the shredded jacket to her side. "What about your back?"

She shook her head, trying to clear it. "Bleeding. The knife went through."

His eyes widened and he cursed. If she was bleeding in multiple places, than they were in even worse shape than he thought. He looked up at the door. "Get the damn healer here _now_!" he shouted before returning his attention to DG. He couldn't move her, not until they knew the extent of her injuries. As carefully as he could, he slid one hand under her back and pressed against her skin with his fingers.

DG twitched when he found the wound. He withdrew his hand and grabbed a part of the torn jacket, carefully moving it under her to try and staunch some of the bloodflow. His heart seized when his eyes went back to her face and saw her eyes close. "DG! DG, wake up!" He grabbed one of her bloody hands within his own and cupped her cheek with the other. "DG! Come on, Sweetheart, stay with me!"

Though her eyelids felt like lead, she forced them open. Cain's frantic eyes worried her, but not as much as it should. A part of her was well aware that she was going into shock and that she was losing a lot of blood. And she wouldn't care except that it seemed to really be bothering Cain. "Hard to stay awake," she muttered, feeling her eyelids droop again.

He squeezed her hand, his thumb brushing across her cheek. A guard dropped to their side and took Cain's place holding the jacket to her side so he could focus solely on the Queen. "I know it is, but you have to try. The longer you stay awake the better it is. Tell me what happened."

DG frowned, trying to remember. Her mind flashed over the assault and moved straight to the threat and that was enough to wake her up. She gasped and tried to sit up, but Cain pushed her back. "Easy, DG. Stay still. What is it?"

"My family! He said—" she broke off with a fit of coughing before continuing. "Said, they would kill my family, end the House of Gale." The pain got worse and she tightened her grip on Cain's hand. "Have to stop him."

He nodded and looked up at one of the guards who ringed the room, all on edge. "Double the guard on the royal family. And someone lock up all of the Earl's people, we don't need any of them sneaking off." The man nodded and disappeared. Soon, pounding footsteps echoed down the hallway and Cain smiled with relief. "The healer's coming, Deeg. Just a little longer."

Her eyes were on Cain's, but they were losing focus. She was losing the battle for consciousness. And with Korben caught and her family safe, she thought it was okay for her to take a bit of a power nap. She'd earned it, hadn't she?

"No!" Cain's sharp word opened her eyes again. "You have to stay with me, DG. You have to hang on."

But it was too hard. She wanted to say she was sorry, that she didn't want to worry him, that she wanted nothing but happiness for him, but even talking was too much work. She couldn't get past the 's' of 'sorry.' She sounded like a snake. She smiled at the thought and let her eyes close. She was dimly aware of Cain yelling at her, his voice panicked, his hands on her face, the healer through the door, the guards all around, the pain washing over her in waves as her breath grew short.

But it didn't matter to her anymore. She was gone.

* * *

It was too quiet.

Of course, if she was dead, she guessed that was all just part of the deal, eternal silence. But she couldn't be dead. A quiet cough told her that she wasn't alone either. Someone else shifted. More than one then. But it was still way too quiet, especially if she was in Central City.

Though her ears returned to working order first, her sense of touch wasn't far behind. And then she knew she wasn't dead, because the next life could _not_ hurt this much. Her entire left side was on fire, spiking through her to finish at a point on her back. It felt like someone had decided to put her on a spit and roast her. Moving as little as possible was definitely the best bet.

When she determinedly ignored the flames in her side, she was able to feel the soft mattress under her back. So she was in bed. Her arms were spread out from her body because two separate people were holding her hands. One of the hands was large and callused, the thumb running a constant path over her knuckles. _Cain_. The other was soft and delicate, but somehow exuded a warmth that ran up her arm, soothing her. _Az_.

DG decided she needed to open her eyes and face the world. More importantly, she needed to get back on her feet and go give that son of a bitch Korben a piece of her mind. It was all easier said than done though as her eyelids took their own sweet time opening. The dim ceiling of her room was decorated by dancing shadows, thrown by the fire in the grate and several lamps. Turning her head slightly, she saw Cain sitting next to her bed, her hand firmly encased in his own. His eyes were closed, his free hand running across his forehead tiredly. Behind him, two guards stood at attention at the door, staring ahead. Turning her head to the other side, she saw Azkadellia, eyes closed, apparently concentrating. A faint glow emanated from their clasped hands. . .at least that explained the warmth. Her eyes slid past her sister to her open balcony doors. Why couldn't she hear the city? It looked like the middle of the night, but even then she could normally hear the white noise of urban living. Instead it was quiet and a curious yellow glow was rising from the streets.

It was definitely time to announce herself and get some answers. Her voice was weak and hoarse, but it was there. "Why is it so quiet?"

Her words sparked instant action. Azkadellia's eyes flew open and Cain's hand tightened around her own. One of the guards by the door disappeared, the other remained with a smile on his face. Her sister leaned forward and threw her arms around DG, her voice muffled.

"Thank Ozma you're awake! How do you feel?"

DG shifted to hug Azkadellia back and instantly winced. Bad idea. "Like I've become a human shish kebab." The princess pulled back and frowned. She sighed. "Like someone stabbed me clean through with a foot long blade." Her eyes moved to Cain, his hand still tight around her own. "Guess the rumors are true, huh?"

He smiled, but it was strained. "Guess so. He's locked up with a dozen angry guards around him—he won't be going anywhere."

"Good." DG found her eyes drawn again to the open windows. "You didn't answer my question, why is it so quiet? Even this high up, you can normally hear the city."

They exchanged glances before Azkadellia spoke. "Everyone is holding a vigil for you."

She frowned. She didn't think her brain had fully rebooted yet, because that didn't make sense. "Huh? Who's holding a what for me now?"

Cain cleared his throat. "The people heard that you were injured in an assassination attempt. Ever since the news broke, they've been gathered outside, waiting for news, praying for you."

Praying? For her? She didn't know what to say. What she did know was despite the fact she felt weaker than she ever had before, she wanted to get to that window. "Can I see it?"

That apparently didn't sit well with her audience because they both shifted and exchanged looks again. Her sister shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea, Deeg. You've only just woken up."

"So?" What did that have anything to do with it?

"So the healer wasn't sure you were going to wake up at all." Oh. That was pretty serious then. Her eyes went from one face to the next, seeing the stress her near death had caused them. It must have been bad enough for her family, but she couldn't imagine what it had done to Cain, who had been there through the whole thing, holding her hand as she bled out in front of him. She turned her gaze to him and she could read all the concern and fear in his eyes, but also the relief that she was awake and talking. She squeezed his hand, hoping to reassure him just like he had reassured her while he was at her side.

"I didn't know it was that close. What happened, exactly?"

Cain took over the explanation. "The blade was angled so that it missed your stomach and other vital organs, but it went clean through your spleen. It's an organ that doesn't do much but bleeds like hell when it ruptures. And trust me, there was blood everywhere." He paused for a moment and DG felt her heart go out to him. "The healer rushed you into surgery right away, she couldn't wait. They had to remove your spleen and then close up your back and front. You had lost so much blood she said that everything depended on whether you woke up or not. If you did, then you would be okay; but if you didn't wake up within a week, then things weren't looking good."

DG desperately wished to draw everyone into one giant hug and wipe away the heartbreaking looks on their faces. "How long ago was that?"

"Three days." DG's mouth dropped open and she must have visibly paled, because Azkadellia grabbed her hand again and the soothing warmth returned.

"_Th -_ _three days?_ I've been unconscious for three days?" She couldn't believe it. No wonder everyone looked so tired and stressed out, she'd been lying on her deathbed for days and no one knew if she was going to make it. And wasn't that a depressing thought?

Cain's thumb resumed its path across her knuckles, drawing her attention back to him. "We've been with you the whole time, waiting for you to wake up. After the first day, we broke into shifts so you wouldn't be alone. Your parents are resting and Glitch is off taking care of a few matters. Jeb and Tutor even kept you company at one point. We also sent a message to Raw and he should be here soon, to help with the healing."

She closed her eyes and sighed. The pain was pretty bad and she couldn't wait until their Viewer friend showed up. "Thank God. Too bad he wasn't here earlier, maybe he could have saved everyone a lot of trouble."

Azkadellia smiled, but shook her head. "It wouldn't have mattered, Deeg. A Viewer's healing powers are tricky at best. Superficial things they can take care of in an instant. But things beneath the skin that they can't see are a little harder, like broken bones and even worse, internal injuries. Your spleen would have had to come out no matter what. Raw could only help with the pain."

"Which is all I need him for." Seriously, she felt like she'd taken a trip onto a bed of coals. . .and was being trampled by the coalwalker. But she couldn't get distracted. The window. "Can I please go to the balcony?"

They were both clearly unwilling to let her move, but she needed to sit up, needed to move enough to remind herself that she was still alive. So she decided to focus on the weakest member of their little group here, which was, ironically, Cain. She widened her eyes and squeezed his hand. "Please, Cain?"

"Highness, you need to rest." She noted sadly the return to the formal nickname. Where had Sweetheart gone? And speaking of, why had he even called her that at all? That was a train of thought she was almost too scared to go down, but she would certainly visit it later. For now though, she had a mission.

"I will, I promise. But I need to see this. You can carry me for all I care, just let me see it." There was doubt now. "Please?" Almost there. She squeezed his hand again and lowered her voice. "Please, Wyatt?"

The use of his first name did it. It was a weird thing between them, they used their given names so infrequently, it always carried more weight when they were actually spoken. He sighed and glanced at the doors, still seeing only the one guard, before nodding. "All right. But just for a moment, then it's straight back to bed."

She nodded enthusiastically, trying not to be too smug in her victory. She let go of Azkadellia's hand and was about to try and shove herself into a sitting position when Cain stopped her. "No, I'm going to carry you, I don't want you to risk tearing any of your stitches." He pulled back the covers of her bed, revealing the worn gray sweat pants she was wearing. At least she would be comfortable in her recovery. Carefully, Cain leaned over and slipped one arm underneath her knees and the other beneath her shoulders. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on as he gently lifted her.

It didn't matter how gentle he was though, it still _hurt_. Enough that a whimper escaped her before she could stop it and Cain froze. "Highness?"

"I'm fine, don't worry about it." She said it too quickly and her voice was a bit too strained. He wouldn't buy it. And he didn't. But, knowing how much this meant to her, he kept on anyway and continued to the balcony. DG struggled to stay focused and ignored the pain, particularly in her back as the skin was pulled taut. Her eyes were pressed tightly shut and she kept her forehead pressed to his neck, taking deep breaths. It wasn't until she felt a breeze on her cheeks that she opened her eyes again and promptly lost her breath.

Far below, crowded into the streets were thousands of people. And all of them were marked by the tiny, yellow light of a lit candle. Now, she could faintly hear them, some singing, some chanting, others crying. But they were all there, surrounding the palace, holding a vigil for their injured Queen and praying for her recovery.

"Put me down," she whispered. Cain huffed in annoyance, but did as she asked, carefully lowering her bare feet to the marble floor. Her legs shook as they supported her weight for the first time in three days, but they held. He kept his hands on her waist though, just in case. DG barely noticed. Her hands gripped the railing tightly in front of her as she stared down, trying to understand.

She felt tears in her eyes as she gaped at them all. They were all there for _her_. She couldn't even fathom it. But there it was. Most had stood outside for three days, praying for her recovery. She didn't think it was possible, but she felt an overwhelming love for her people right then. Just as they clung to her, her devotion to them grew. She vowed to continue doing what she must for their benefit, if they truly believed in her this much.

"Do they know that I'm going to be okay?" she asked. Her limited strength was quickly dissipating and she leaned back against Cain's broad chest. His arms automatically went around her and she took a second to wish that she never had to move from that spot. Unfortunately, her knees began to buckle under the strain of her slight weight and Cain easily picked her up again before she could fall, breaking the tender embrace.

He shook his head in response to her question and turned to bring her back inside. "No. We'll tell them once you're on your way to Finaqua."

DG frowned and opened her mouth to speak when the door burst open and her parents and Glitch burst into the room. "DG!" they all cried, hurrying to her. They barely waited until Cain had settled her back on the bed, sitting up, before they crowded around her, hugging her as tight as they dared. She couldn't help but notice how worn-out they all looked, much like Cain and Azkadellia.

Lavender sat on the bed and smoothed DG's hair back, framing her face. "Oh, my angel, I am so happy that you are awake. You gave us all such a fright."

Just because she was Queen didn't mean she couldn't get chastised—especially for things she couldn't prevent. "Sorry," she muttered, forcing a smile. "I'll try to not let it happen again." Her mother opened her mouth to speak, but DG cut her off. "What's this about going to Finaqua?"

Glitch answered. "To throw the assassins off the scent of course! You can recover while we deal with that wretched Earl."

DG's eyes widened. Well, that wasn't going to happen. She knew she had just woken up and everything (and she felt like she was about to fall asleep again) but this was nonnegotiable in her book. "No."

They all fell silent at the simple word. Her sister stared at her. "What do you mean, no?"

DG crossed her arms in front of her chest, trying to ignore the pain in her side when she moved like that. "I said no. I'm not leaving. I will not run away."

Ahamo shook his head. "You're not running away, spitfire. You're just leaving to recover from your injury."

"No." This time, they all flinched at the word. "I would be running away, that is exactly what it is. I will not let my enemies think that I can be intimidated. They want to try and kill me? Fine. They want to threaten my family? Fine. But none of it is going to do them any good and they need to realize that or this is just going to continue."

Her mother bit her lip. "Angel, please, reconsider."

"I'm sorry, mother, but I'm staying here. I won't let them win. I'll rest and take it easy, but I won't back down and I won't succumb to threats, even ones that end up with me as a human pin cushion." As dismayed as her family was by her refusal, she could also tell they were proud of her stance. She smiled. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think that I am going to pass out soon. You should all get some rest, you look like hell."

They stared at her incredulously for a moment before chuckling, truly reassured that she was going to be okay. Glitch stepped forward to hug her first. "Sleep tight, Doll. Try not to worry about anything, we've got it all under control."

She kind of doubted that, but she smiled anyway and hugged him back. "Thanks, Glitch. Try not to blow anything up while I'm bedridden, huh?"

Glitch smiled vacantly. "Of course not! Of course not! Of course not! Of—" Cain elbowed him and Glitch coughed, glared at the Tin Man and then ambled out of the room.

Lavender hugged her daughter next, holding on far longer than her friend had. "My heart stopped when I heard you had been hurt. But now that I know you are going to be fine, it has started beating again. Though I wish you would go to Finaqua, I understand your reason and am proud of you for taking a stand." She leaned back and brushed some hair out of DG's face. "You have done well, my Angel. Now, rest up and don't worry about anything, I'll take care of it all for you."

Ahamo leaned past his wife and kissed DG on the cheek. "She's right. You just focus on getting better."

"Thanks, Mom, Dad," DG said. Azkadellia, after a brief glance at Cain, sat on the bed. She framed her sister's face with her hands and that soothing warmth returned. DG sighed happily. "Just what are you doing? You were doing that when you held my hand too."

Azkadellia smiled. "Just keeping you calm so you can heal, rather than aggravate anything. It's nothing special, but it seemed to help you the first day, so I kept doing it." She paused and leaned forward to hug DG. "I love you, Deeg. I can't tell you how happy I am that you're going to be okay. So try not to do anything stupid like that again, I don't think anyone around here could take it."

Like it had been intentional. "Don't worry, Az. Getting in the way of an assassin's blade isn't really high on my 'to do' list. Go get some rest, I'll be fine now. Promise." Azkadellia nodded and kissed her sister on the cheek. She then promptly left, taking the two guards on the inside of the door with her and closing it quietly behind her.

DG sank into her pillows, already feeling her eyelids begin to droop. But she forced herself to stay awake because Cain was still there. And he was staring at her with an expression she'd never seen before. "What?"

He carefully sat on the side of her bed and took one of her hands within his own, while the other reached forward to cup her cheek, much like days before while she was lying on her office floor. DG watched him, unsure. His eyes were full and she didn't know what to do. But then she figured it out. Her free hand went up to catch his hand pressed against her cheek. "I'm okay, Cain. Really. I'm here and I'm going to live."

Cain sighed and shook his head. "I know that. But it was bad, Highness. Seeing you lying there, your blood on my hands—" he broke off and cleared his throat. "I can't have that happen again. I won't let it happen. But for now, you're going to have to humor me if I want to reassure myself that you're alive."

DG squeezed his hands and nodded. "Whatever you want." She fought back a yawn; she couldn't go to sleep in the middle of such an important conversation! "If I could take those memories from you I would. But all I can do is say I'm sorry and I'll try and avoid the assassin next time. Honest."

He smirked. "Sure you will. Because trouble never finds you." She was going to make an indignant retort when he leaned towards her and her heart stopped. For one blissful, tense second she thought that he was going to kiss her. Because she knew without a doubt that she was falling hard for this man and she hoped that this little 'episode' had shown him the light. After all, she had been stabbed—she should get something out of the deal!

Instead, his lips landed on her forehead. "Get some sleep," he whispered against her skin. Keeping a hold of her left hand, he withdrew and resettled himself on the chair by her bed.

DG frowned, both at the lack of a real kiss and at his actions. "Cain, you need to sleep too. Go lie down, that chair can't be comfortable."

"Sorry, Highness, but I'm not going anywhere. Until this is properly investigated, there are always going to be guards in your room. I'm not taking any chances. And since I don't think you want two strange guards in your room right now, I'm going to stay with you for now."

DG wanted to argue with him, tell him that she appreciated it, but she didn't need him to watch her sleep. He could just as easily lay down in the couch in the sitting room. But a small part of her also wanted him to stay and hold her hand. It didn't matter though, because she was quickly falling asleep and only had time for one brief sentence. "You shouldn't worry so much." As if she hadn't given him reason to in the last months.

Cain, apparently thinking the same thing, smiled. His thumb resumed its constant path across her knuckles as he said softly, "I'll always worry about you, Sweetheart." But DG didn't hear him because she was already asleep.

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed it! I ended up rewriting this piece several times, each one drastically different from the last. But this is how it ended up and I think it's okay. I wanted to mention a few things here though that I forgot to talk about in the last one. First off, there's not going to be any specific chronological order in these pieces. Right now, they're all following the same line, but I might jump back in time at some point. I'll let you know if that happens though.**

**Second, does the length of these pieces bother anybody? I always prefer longer chapters, but if you guys think it's too much, I can easily chop them in half or something. Whatever is easier for you!**

**Third, I wanted to explain my reasoning concerning Raw right here. See, I love Raw and all, but he's something of a problem. He makes things too easy. If someone gets hurt, the natural inclination is that Raw can heal them instantly. . .which takes the danger and peril away from a situation. He's kind of a deus ex machina. So, I tried to explain up there that his abilities aren't so easily used and that he might not be able to heal everything. Really, that's just my interpretation, so that he isn't so much of an easy way out. Does that make sense? Course, this is just in my world!**

**Okay, I think that's it. I hope you enjoyed it and please leave me a review, constructive criticism welcome! And please sign in when you leave a review so I can send you a reply! Until next time, thanks!**


	4. The First Mistake

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. Rated for some gore and overall depression of the piece. This takes place about two weeks after the assassination attempt.**

* * *

Sleep was a rare commodity these days. So when someone started knocking on her door in the middle of the night, DG was understandably annoyed. She wished she could ignore it, but sadly, if they thought it was important enough to disturb her, then she really needed to answer the door. "I'm coming!" she yelled, her voice hoarse and muffled by her pillow. But she dragged herself out of bed and cast about for her robe.

The first time she had been awakened in the middle of the night, she had answered the door in her shorts and tank top—which had caused something of a scandal. Norris, the head of her detail, had stared at her before turning around, horrified at her lack of clothing. Since then, DG made a point of grabbing a robe, if only to protect her guard's sensibilities.

Belting it around her waist, DG trudged over to the door, her hair wild about her face. Mid-yawn, she opened the door to face Norris. "What is it?"

"Captain Cain's company has returned." Well, what was so bad about that? After the assassination attempt on her, Cain suggested sending a company of soldiers to Earl Korben's province to get a hold of the situation and find out the strength of the enemy. DG decided to entrust the responsibility to Jeb Cain, and the soldiers had set off a few days ago. She wasn't expecting them back quite yet, but that was hardly reason to wake her up, wasn't it?

DG frowned. Norris wasn't meeting her eyes, something very uncharacteristic of him. "What? What else?"

"They were ambushed at the Earl's manor. Some are dead, many injured."

The floor dropped out from under her and she grabbed onto the doorjamb. _Dead_. _Oh no._ She was moving before her brain had caught up with her. "Inform Commander Cain."

Norris was keeping pace with her, the rest of her guard following. "He is already there. His son was among the injured." _Oh God._ DG started running, her bare feet slapping against the tile, her robe billowing behind her exposing her gray sweat pants and blue tank top. She skidded around corners and jumped down stairs, her guards pounding along behind her. Her side started to ache—even though Raw had healed the surface wound, leaving only a faint scar, she still was getting her strength back and her side hurt if she overworked herself.

Finally though, she reached the infirmary level and she stopped, gasping for breath and clutching her throbbing side. She could barely process the scene in front of her. Men were lining the hallway, some stretched out on makeshift pallets, some leaning tiredly against the wall. All of them were sporting a wound of some kind, whether it was just some cuts and scrapes, or broken bones. All were in pain.

The hallway was bad enough. But the main infirmary hall was worse. So much worse. Men were crying, some screaming in pain, clutching various body parts, others reaching for limbs that were no longer there. Pleads for mothers or lovers permeated the hall, wafting along with the scent of death and gangrene. The floor was sticky with blood and sand. The soldiers were lying all throughout the room while healers rushed to and fro, yelling for help or calling out directions. Even the walking wounded were doing what they could to lend a hand. It was a miracle they had made it back at all.

DG stood in the entrance, staring in horror. The company of men that had left them a scant few days earlier, smiling and bolstered in their duty to the crown now lay decimated before her. She felt sick. They were dead and dying in front of her eyes and it was her order that had put them there.

Her fault.

"Help!" One of the healers was trying to restrain one of her thrashing patients and stop the blood coming out of his chest at the same time. DG, swallowing the bile in her throat, rushed over and grabbed one of the man's arms. The medic looked up and did a double-take, surprised to find the Queen next to her. "Your Majesty–"

"Forget the formalities, just help this man," DG said tersely. She didn't want to be reminded of her station right now. Her guards shifted around her, unsure what they should be doing, but unwilling to leave her alone. DG, holding the man's arm down, twisted her head to glare at them. "Well? Don't just stand there, help these people."

Norris glanced at the other men. "My Lady, we cannot leave you unprotected in such an unstable environment."

"The hell you can," she snarled. "I don't need six of you to guard me for heaven's sake. If you want to stay, Norris, fine. But the people here need every bit of help they can get and I won't have idle men about." When the other five guards exchanged looks, her eyes narrowed. "_Move!_" They instantly scattered, moving to help with the triage. Norris though, stayed by her side and reached forward to help restrain the man.

After a few stressful minutes while the healer worked to stop the bleeding, the man suddenly went limp. DG's eyes widened and her heart sped up. A shaking hand moved from the man's arm to his throat, looking for a pulse.

"He is still alive, Your Majesty," the medic said, wiping her bloody hands on her apron. The healer's once neatly pulled back red hair was tangled about her face, flushed with heat and exertion. "He has passed out for now. I thank you for your help, but you do not need to be down here."

DG shook her head, relieved beyond measure that the man was still alive, even if his chances looked dim. "You need all the help you can get. What can I do? You can also use my guards, anyone you need."

The healer bowed briefly. "Thank you, My Lady. I would suggest going to speak with Raw, he is with the more severe cases and has a better idea of where you may be useful."

The Queen nodded. She laid one hand on the unconscious man's forehead and said a brief prayer to whoever was listening. She prayed not only for him, but for every person in that building. Some were already dead, killed in the line of duty. Her fault.

With Norris trailing behind her, she picked her way across the room, speaking to a few of the soldiers, re-securing bandages and helping the healers as she went. They all seemed shocked to see her at first, amazed that their monarch had come to help and still dressed in her nightclothes. But quickly, they all grew accustomed to her presence—she could evoke a smile from even the direst of cases. And that also seemed to be the main extent of her abilities here, soothing patients.

Finally, she managed to reach Raw near one of the walls, hovering over some of the worst cases. The Viewer was invaluable at a time like this because even though he may not be able to fully heal a wound, he could still identify it. Internal bleeding, punctured organs, broken bones—Raw caught them all and was able to determine the need of each patient. He healed as much as he could, but the medics were still given a stiff workload as they rushed soldier after soldier into surgery.

"Raw," DG said softly, coming up to his side. The Viewer looked up from his most recent patient and smiled at the Queen. He pulled her into a hug, his furry arms engulfing her slight frame. She sighed and hugged back, calmed by her friend's presence.

When Raw pulled away though, he was frowning. "DG hurt. Inside and out."

She shook her head. "I'm fine. I ran down here and my side kind of hurts from that, but it's nothing serious."

Raw glanced at Norris, standing a respectful distance away. "No. DG hurt inside. Blame self."

She froze but once again shook her head. "I'm fine, Raw. Don't worry about me, you've got enough on your hands right now." She could see he didn't believe her and wanted to press the issue, but she changed the topic instead. "Do you know where Cain is? They said that Jeb was one of the ones that was hurt."

The Viewer gave her a look, letting her know he would let this slide for now, but she would have to deal with him later. "Jeb badly hurt. Ribs broken and lung punctured. Long road to healing, but should make it. Cain with him now." He pointed towards a corner of the large room where those that had already came out of surgery lay. She could make out Cain's tense shoulders from there.

"Thanks, Raw. Listen, put my guards to work, will you? If you need anything, just let me know." The Viewer nodded and let her leave, worriedly watching her back. The obvious physical injuries needed tending to right away, but the invisible mental and emotional injuries would have to be seen to just the same.

DG once again wound her way through the crowd, all the while making her way to the corner where the temporary recovery area was. Once she made it though, she wasn't sure if she should announce herself or not.

Jeb was laid out on one of the beds, his face ghostly pale. A sheet was drawn up to his waist, exposing the yards of bandages wrapped around his chest, which scarcely rose and fell with each shallow breath. Sitting at his side was Cain, tightly holding onto his son's hand. He was hunched over, his eyes intent on Jeb. His shirt sleeves were rolled up past his elbows, his hands speckled with blood. He was oblivious to everything that wasn't his son.

DG didn't want to disturb him, but she needed him to know that she was there. Quietly, she moved forward and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Cain?"

He started, turning his face towards her. The faintest of tear tracks were on his cheeks. "Highness? What are you doing here?"

"I heard they were back and were hurt. I came to see what I could do to help." She looked down at Jeb and bit her lip. He was so still. . .nothing like the vibrant young man that could elicit such proud, heartfelt smiles from his father. She internally quaked, reminded that she had recommended him for the command. Her fault.

Cain turned his face back to his son. "Some bastard set off an explosive near him, blew him across the perimeter and into a stone wall, where debris pounded his chest. It's a miracle they got him back alive, with broken ribs and a punctured lung."

Norris suddenly appeared with a hard-backed chair for her to sit in. She nodded gratefully at him and sat down, moving her hand down Cain's arm. "Raw said that it's going to be a long, hard road to recovery, but he should make it. Jeb's strong, Cain, and he's a fighter. What's more, he's your son, so he's got that stubborn streak in him. He's going to be fine."

Cain chuckled weakly. He grabbed her hand within his own, squeezing it. "I hope so." She hesitated for a second, but then reached forward with her free hand and laid it over the clasped hands of father and son. She concentrated on the spell Azkadellia had taught her; focusing on their hands and letting a deep, soothing warmth spread outward. Jeb, for the briefest of moments took a cleansing breath. Even some of the tension drained out of Cain's body. He stared at her once she opened her eyes and withdrew her hand. "What did you just do?"

"Just a soothing spell that Az taught me. It helped me when I was hurt, so I figured it might help you two. Nothing to worry about." Course, using magic when she was already strung out and still trying to get her body back under control was not a good idea. That had taken more energy than she cared to admit and she felt decidedly off-balance after it. And Cain would be quick to notice if she wasn't careful. "I'm going to see what else I can do to help. You stay with Jeb, let me know if he wakes up."

Cain glanced behind her when she stood up and frowned. "Where are your guards?"

Of course he would notice that. Not that she was about to fall over, but that she didn't have the usual menagerie of shadows. "I sent them to help. People were dying, Cain. Those five have field training, they could help. Norris is more than enough. So stop worrying about me and just stay with your son, alright?"

He frowned at Norris, but reluctantly nodded. Cain had been understandably overprotective since the assassination attempt. Even though she understood it, she still chaffed under the added restrictions. "If you leave, you take those guards with you."

DG rolled her eyes. "Yes, Commander Cain. I'm going now." Her legs were definitely starting to feel like jello. Before she left though, she threw her arms around Cain's shoulders and hugged him. "Come find me if you need anything, Wyatt." She then kissed his temple and turned and hurried away before he could notice the blush on her cheeks.

After a few moments, the blush went away and the need for someplace to sit down became far more pressing. There was a door off to the side that most of the people seemed to be avoiding, so she headed straight for that, hoping it was a supply closet or something. Without hesitation, she opened the door and froze. Her stomach heaved and she had to clamp a hand over her mouth.

She had found the morgue.

Inside, at least two dozen bodies were laid out, eyes vacant, arms at their sides. None of them had been cleaned up or tended to for burial yet—there was too much to do with the living for them to worry about the dead. The smell was simply grotesque, decaying flesh and singed hair, astringent salves and bitter last breaths. She wanted to run away, wanted to scream or fall to her knees. But she couldn't. She could only stare. This was what her decision had led to.

"My Lady," Norris said, placing a gentle hand at her elbow and trying to steer her out of the room. "We should leave this place."

"No." She tore her arm out of his grasp and took a step further into the room. She swallowed a mouthful of bile. "Get me a bucket of water and a rag, please."

"Queen Dorothy—"

"Norris." He stopped and met her pleading eyes when she turned her head to him. "Please. A bucket of water and a rag." He sighed and turned and left, hurriedly getting her what she asked for. While she waited, DG remained standing in the entranceway, eyes taking in every soldier's body.

She wondered how many had families. How many were fathers with children of their own. How many were still children in their own rights. If this had been their first battle, or only one of many. If they knew they were about to die or were blissfully unaware of the fact. And she only grew sicker when she realized she barely knew any of their names.

Her fault.

"My Lady." Norris had returned, holding a bucket of water, a rag draped over the edge.

"Thank you." She took the bucket from him and set it down next to the closest body. "Leave me."

"Your Majesty, I can't do that."

She didn't turn this time. Her voice was flat as she spoke, brooking no argument. "Norris. You may guard outside the door, but I want to be left alone." He sighed heavily but she listened to his steps dutifully recede before the door creaked closed.

Once she was alone, she dropped to her knees next to one of the bodies. His eyes were closed, but a long cut across his forehead had leaked blood all down his face. Carefully wringing out the rag, DG set to cleaning away as much of the blood and grime from his skin as she could. The tears started while she tended to that first soldier, silently streaming down her face as she took his hands within her own, cleaning each finger, running the rag over the palm and wrist. She then folded his hands over his chest and smoothed his hair away from his face. She couldn't do much about the state of his uniform, couldn't mend the tears or wash out the blood. But she could still see to him.

Soldier after soldier passed before her eyes as she tended to each body. She cleaned every inch of visible skin, closed eyes if they were open, straightened limbs that were flung outward, tried to smooth faces twisted by fear and pain. She thought of the loved ones that would come to see their husbands, fathers, sons into the afterlife as she worked, thought of the horror they had yet to know. Her fault.

It didn't take long before she was shaking with exhaustion and cold. She had laid her robe over one of the soldiers that had been disemboweled, wanting to mask some of the damage. Lack of sleep, magic use and the emotional roller coaster she had been sent on had all taken their toll on her body. Tears continued to steadily leave her eyes, dripping on the floor or on the men she was working on. As much as she wanted to curl into a ball and cry, she pressed on. No one would be able to spare the time to see to the dead for a while and she was going to do her part. She was going to keep going until she collapsed.

She was coming to the last couple of bodies when the floor dropped out from under her again. The man before her was the same as the one that she had helped restrain when she had first come down to the infirmary. He hadn't made it after all. His glassy green eyes stared upward.

And it was all too much for her. DG put her head on her arms and sobbed.

* * *

The hall was finally starting to quiet down as the sedatives took effect and the soldiers were steadily attended to. Exhausted healers were starting to break into shifts so that some of them could get some sleep while still tending to the patients. With the steady decline of activity and less bodies moving around, finding one errant Queen should be easy. But Cain couldn't see DG anywhere, even though her guards were still about. He knew that she wouldn't have left without them, so where was she?

Then he caught sight of Norris, his bulk half hiding a door in the wall. Cain picked his way across the room, his unease growing with each step. He knew what was behind that door; everybody did. Running a hand tiredly over his face, he walked up to Norris. "Where is she?"

Norris saluted him, coming to attention. "She's in the room, by herself. I tried to get her to leave, but she wouldn't have it."

Not surprising. "How long has she been in there?"

"Since she left you."

Hours then. "Well? What is she doing?"

The head of the Queen's detail sighed and stepped aside, letting the Troop Commander move to the door. "Honoring the dead."

Cain frowned and opened the door, quietly stepping inside. The natural smell of death reached him first. He had been in too many battles to flinch at the stench, though his stomach still rolled. As his eyes adjusted to the naturally dimmer room, the sound of weeping reached him next. He could hear DG crying and it tore at his heart. He was moving towards the sound before he realized what was going on.

DG was draped over one of the bodies, bare shoulders heaving with her deep sobs. He could see dark red smudges on her sweat pants and tank top—dried blood. One of the bodies he passed had her robe lying over him. And that was when he noticed the clean and polished skin of most of the men. He saw the peaceful looks on their faces and in their limbs and he knew that DG was responsible for it all. She had spent the past hours in here, in the company of corpses, giving them attention that no one else would.

He was at her side in an instant and trying to pull her up. "Highness."

DG shook her head and pulled out of his arms. "No. Leave me alone!" She dropped again to her knees, falling upon the dead soldier.

Cain frowned and grabbed her arms, hauling her upwards. She struggled against him, trying to tear out of his grasp. "Highness. DG, stop it right now!"

She was still crying, her voice hiccuping when she spoke. "No! This is all my fault, leave me alone!"

What was she talking about? Cain bodily turned her around, his hands tight on her biceps. Her hair was twisted about her face, her tear-stained cheeks pink, her blue eyes bright in the candlelight. She shook her head and pushed against his chest, trying to get him to let her go. He only tightened his grip, hoping he wasn't going to leave bruises on her pale skin. "DG! Talk to me, what is your fault?"

"Everything!" She turned her face up to him, begging him to understand. "All these men are dead, all because of me!"

Suddenly all of the fight went out of her and she slumped, still crying. Cain pulled her against his chest, his arms solid around her body. She trembled in his embrace, sobbing into his shirt, her hands clutching at fistfuls of fabric. He closed his eyes and waited for her to cry herself out, one of his hands going into her hair. Her skin was cold as snow and he wished he had his duster with him to drape over her shoulders, but it was still in his room. Instead, he just tried to pull her in closer to his body.

Soon enough, her cries had diminished. Though she was still shaking, it was no where near the initial flood. Slowly, he walked her over to the side of the room, away from some of the bodies and sat her down. Her hands loosened their grip on his shirt when he pulled away, but she kept her eyes on the floor.

Cain pushed her hair out of her face, thankful she had finally calmed down. "Now, Sweetheart, tell me why you think this is your fault."

DG shook her head, her face scrunching up again in preparation for more tears. "They're all dead because of me. I sent them there. I ordered them to go to a position we knew would be fortified by the enemy and they died because of it. Dozens of others were injured, Jeb included. It's all my fault."

Cain could hardly believe what she was saying, much less that she believed it. "DG, listen to me." His voice was a bit more harsh than he would have liked, but she needed to get this through her head. "Did you pull the trigger on any of these men?" She shook her head no. "Did you send them off, intending for them to die?" Again, a negative. "Did you force any of these men to sign up for the Royal Army?" No. "Then you can't blame yourself for any of this."

She opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off. "No, I'm talking now and you're listening, for once in your life. Each and every one of these men knew what they were getting into when they signed up for military service. They knew that injury and death would be in their future. And they continued to serve despite that because they believed in what they were fighting for—they believed in you and the throne you sit upon.

"You can't blame yourself for a decision you had no say in. Yes, we both agreed to send the company to the Earl's manor, but the men in that company agreed with the mission and knew the risks. The only people at fault here are the longcoats. Understand?"

She nodded minutely. "Yes. But I don't think I can do this, Cain. I can't send men out, knowing half of them will come back in caskets."

He shifted and took her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. "And you know what? That is what makes you such a great Queen. You know what your decisions mean, you know the consequences. You aren't going to idly make choices that cost lives, not if you can help it. It's a hard job, I know. There's nothing harder than seeing the result of a mission gone wrong. But this is just something that you have to do and will have to do many times in the future. And I hope you never get used to it."

DG frowned, but he pressed on. "Because the second you get used to it is the second that you send men cavalierly into the fray. And that is when bad decision are made."

"But if I'm always worried about losing lives, how can I even work up the courage to send them off in the first place, even if its for some noble cause?"

Cain sighed. "It's a tough balance and one that you have to find. But you'll find it. Because you know what needs to be done so the O.Z can prosper, but you also see what happens when things go wrong. You can do it, DG, it'll just take some time. And I'll be there with you, every step of the way."

Tears came to her eyes again, but for an entirely different reason this time. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, her heart bursting with love for the man in front of her. "Thank you," she whispered. "I don't know what I would do without you."

When she pulled back from him, the look on his face made her breath run short. "I wouldn't want you to find out," he replied quietly. But then he stood up and turned away, breaking the moment. DG felt like fainting for an entirely different reason now. Her eyes went back to the bodies and she instantly sobered. She still had work to do.

She went back to the man she was crying over. Saying a prayer, she reached up and closed his eyes before she started to clean his skin. Cain appeared at her side, but she ignored him. "This is just something I have to do," she whispered. He laid a brief hand on her shoulder before he walked away.

Once all of the dead were tended to, DG rose and stretched. Each of the soldiers now looked calm and relatively clean. It wasn't much, but it was something. If it was all she could offer the dead, then she would be content with that. But she was going to be more careful in the future.

A blanket fell around her shoulders and she started, turning to see Cain next to her once again. "I want you to come sit with me."

She frowned, pulling the edges of the blanket tighter around her shoulders. "Sit with you where?"

"Next to Jeb. He woke up earlier."

The relieved smile that broke across her face nearly hurt, she was so happy. "He did? Oh, thank God. That's good, right?"

Cain smiled. "Yes, he should be fine. He was only awake for a minute before he fell asleep again, which is when I came to find you. I want to stay by his side though. And I'd also like to keep an eye on you, so this is just my way of making things easy."

"Killing two birds with one stone; I got you."

The Troop Commander frowned. "Why would you be killing birds?"

DG rolled her eyes and followed Cain out of the morgue and back towards the recovering patients. "It's just an expression, Cain." He shook his head in confusion, but didn't say anything as they both settled in at Jeb Cain's bedside, the rest of the infirmary settling down into a sleepy heartbeat behind them.

* * *

**I think this piece was oddly appropriate for a 4****th**** of July weekend. Normally, I spend a few days on each piece, mulling it over and editing. But this came out pretty quickly within two days. There were only two lines that I ended up rewriting a hundred times each because of their importance. I didn't even plan on it taking on the significance it did, but sometimes the writing just gets away from you—and turns into something better than you had planned.**

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this much more human side of DG. And I gave Raw kind of a new ability, hehe. Hey, I cut away half his repertoire, it was the least I could do. Oh well, it made sense to me.**

**The next one will (hopefully) be much more lighthearted. And I don't want to say that reviews encourage me to write faster, because that generally isn't true, but I got inspired when I saw all the lovely feedback everyone sent me. So please, let me know what you think and I'll start working on the next one!**


	5. The First Suitor

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. Takes place about three days after Jeb's return. Don't worry, this piece is much more lighthearted!**

* * *

While looking over her schedule for the day, DG was trying to decide if it was going to be a good day or a bad day. She didn't have much scheduled, but that didn't mean that some crisis couldn't suddenly pop up and ruin everything. It was ironic that when she was in Kansas, she had been hoping for something different, something exciting. Now that she lived and breathed different and exciting, she prayed for a day of boredom.

DG breezed into the dining room, hoping to grab a quick breakfast. Her parents were already seated, discussing something in hushed tones. Azkadellia sat across from them shaking her head. "She won't like it," she said.

"Who won't like what?" DG asked, sliding into her seat next to her sister. Normally, they had several other people eating with them, but Raw was down with the injured, Glitch was sequestered in his lab and Cain was off planning the troop movements. DG had half a mouthful of eggs in her mouth when she realized that the normal advisors and heads of department were also absent from the room. In fact, besides a few guards along the fringes, her family were the only people there. And they still hadn't answered her question. "Whass goin on?" she asked, hurriedly swallowing.

Lavender glanced at her husband and smiled. "Nothing, darling. How are you this morning?"

DG didn't buy it for one second. She was getting very good at reading people and right now she knew they were hiding something. "Fine," she said cautiously, drawing out the word for a good four seconds. "What were you guys talking about?" She cut a sausage link in half and popped it in her mouth, chewing slowly.

Ahamo took the lead this time. "A couple of the advisors met with us about something that they are concerned about."

"And what would that be?" She swallowed and reached for a glass of orange juice, taking a long draught.

"That you need to produce an heir."

DG's spit take rivaled that of any caught on film. She sprayed Ahamo straight on with orange juice, Lavender twisting out of the way. The Queen immediately clapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide as she watched it drip off his nose and eyelashes. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry!"

Ahamo cracked open an eye and accepted the napkin that his wife gave him. "Well, I can't say I thought you were going to react like that." He wiped off his face and patted down his hair, trying to soak up all the juice. "Annoyance, yes. Anger even. But not this."

DG's face was on fire and it didn't help that Azkadellia was shaking with suppressed laughter. DG elbowed her sister in the side. "I'm so sorry, you just caught me off guard." Then her brain clicked and she remembered why she had reacted in the first place. "Wait, I need to produce an _heir_?" Her voice went several octaves higher than normal on the last word.

Lavender patted her husband's hand in sympathy before facing her daughter, checking to make sure all liquids were out of reach. "The people and most of your personnel are concerned, my Angel. After the assassination attempt, people began to grow concerned about the line of succession. If something should happen to you, they want the line to the throne to be assured."

First she was flushed with embarrassment, but now she was pale with horror. "Are you kidding me? I'm not ready for kids! I'm not even ready to get married! Besides, there generally needs to be a guy involved, doesn't there?"

"Well, yes, but there are many eligible bachelors across the O.Z. Any number of the noblemen that you meet with every day could be considered as a future Consort."

DG paused. "Are you telling me that half the reason these men are meeting with me is to put their name in the running?!"

Ahamo cleared his throat. "They all are here for valid reasons, but I'm sure at the back of their mind is the fact that the Queen is unattached."

"God help me," she muttered, dropping her head to the table. Definitely going to be a bad day. She couldn't believe that this whole time there had been some sort of subtle manipulation going on in all of her meetings. But she wasn't about to tell her parents that the thought of dating had never crossed her mind. . .mostly because she was already completely taken by her Troop Commander. Not that he knew that.

"Spitfire, normally they would never think to bring this to your attention. But you were almost killed within a month of taking office, and there's no guarantee that it won't happen again. The O.Z is far from stable and a second war grows into a greater possibility every day. They are only concerned about what would happen to the throne if you should die without a child."

She lifted her head, unaware of the red spot now on her forehead. "What about Az? Wouldn't the throne go to her?" She glanced at her curiously silent sister.

Azkadellia shook her head. "It's hard to say. Legally, yes, it would. But because of the Witch, they still might refuse me the crown. At which point the monarchy would descend into a civil war as all distant relations make their claim."

DG groaned. "I can't believe this. You know, I always knew that I had a biological clock and all that, I just didn't realize that everyone else decided what was on the timer." She stood up, her chair scraping away from the table. "I've got a meeting to get to. If they come to you again, you can tell them not to get their panties in a twist and that I won't be rushed."

"DG—"

"No." She pointed at her parents. "Mother, you couldn't be rushed to get married because Dad wasn't even _here_ for half your life. You had to wait until you met him. I refuse to marry for anything other than love, so producing an heir is going to have to wait a while." She grabbed an apple with one hand and her papers with the other. "I'm late. I'll talk to you all later."

Practically stomping down the corridor, DG tried to get herself to calm down. She hated being manipulated. She hated even more that people had gone behind her back to her parents to bring up this little gem of advice. Their concerns may be valid, but she was less inclined to listen to them now.

She pushed the doors of her office open, chomping on the apple. Cain stood at the long table next to her desk, spreading out several maps. He looked up at her entrance and frowned. "What's wrong?"

DG huffed and dropped her papers on the desk. "My parents have lost their minds. And apparently my staff has been plotting to try and get me pregnant."

It looked like Cain choked on air. "_What?_"

The Queen shooed Norris and her other guards out of the room—the only time a guard was not in the room with her was when Cain was with her. "I was kindly informed at breakfast that my advisors would like me to produce an heir." Cain's eyes went wide. "Yeah. Caught me off guard too. I told them to hold their horses and not to rush me; I'm moving at my own pace here and I've got enough crises to deal with." She took another violent bite out of her apple and moved next to Cain, staring at the maps. "So, where are we on the plan?"

For the next hour, DG and Cain hunched over the maps, examining the land surrounding Earl Korben's manor, estimating the enemy strength and trying to figure out what their next move should be. After Jeb's company returned three days ago, bleeding and at half-strength, they had started to consider their counter attack. And were having little progress.

"This isn't going to work."

Cain frowned. "Why not?"

"They have to be expecting us." She leaned over and drew her finger along the perimeter of the manor. "They would have known Korben's plan before he left, which is why their defenses were so built up by the time that Jeb got there. Once his company returned, decimated, they would count on us to send an even bigger force, a battalion if not the entire army. And they will have prepared for it."

Sighing, Cain leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. "So, what are you suggesting?"

She stared at the map, eyes ghosting over the figures written into the margins, different colors representing artillery or explosives. "That we can't get in through the front door. And that we can't use the entire welcome wagon either."

The Troop Commander looked at her blankly. "Highness, I have no idea what you're talking about."

DG bit her lip, glancing up at Cain briefly. "The fact is that we still don't know much about what we're facing. Jeb and his men got knocked around too badly before they could get a decent look at what was going on. We have some information, but not enough, not for the situation we're walking into."

"So we hit them with everything we've got, ensuring that we outnumber them and are able to outmaneuver them."

"I can't do that." DG desperately wanted to agree with Cain and let him do what he wanted, but she had other things she needed to consider in this equation. "Earl Korben's manor, whether it is the headquarters to longcoats or not, still has a surrounding village with people in it—people who may be entirely innocent."

Cain's face twisted in disbelief. "You can't think that they're actually ignorant of what's going on?"

"No. But that doesn't mean that they're there willingly. What would happen if we charged in there, blew everything straight to hell and then realized that all those people were captives? How would the rest of the O.Z view that? As much as I hate to admit it, I'm going to be judged on how I handle this. And even though I want nothing more than to go in there with guns blazing, I can't."

"So? What does that mean then?"

DG leaned her hip against her desk and sighed. "I don't know yet. We're going to have to figure out something soon though, I don't want to leave those bastards unattended for too long. Otherwise they might start thinking they can get away with terrorizing my men." A knock at the door brought a quiet groan from DG. Why couldn't everyone just go away and let her focus on one thing at a time? "Come."

The door opened and in walked a man who looked like he had stepped out of the pages of a magazine. He was literally tall, dark and handsome. He had a sculpted jaw with a few days growth, his dark hair falling across chocolate eyes. Perfect tan skin graced his face and long-fingered hands. Tailored clothes showed off a muscular figure. Back on the Other Side, he definitely would have graced every teenage girl's wall.

"Queen Dorothy," he said, his voice tinged with the faintest lilting accent. He bowed low before her. "I am Count Leighton from a province on the Eastern borders. I wished to extend my sincerest wishes that you are making a quick recovery, after the evil that befell you weeks ago."

DG examined Leighton with interest, unsure of what to make of him. The conversation with her parents that morning had certainly colored her perspective. Whereas before she might have melted at this man's feet (as she's sure most women did), now she was just wondering about his motive. A quick glance at Cain showed the former Tin Man to be stiff and alert, his eyes hard as he watched the Count. She idly wondered if he felt threatened. Or if he was just worried someone else was going to stab her. Maybe a little of both? "I thank you, Count Leighton. My side aches occasionally, but there are no other ill effects from the attempt on my life."

"Then I praise Ozma for your continued breath." Well, that was a bit much, wasn't it? But he continued. "Though we all pledged our loyalty to you at your Coronation, I wished to once again offer my services to you. Whatever enemies you may have, Your Majesty, I vow to fight them for your honor." Okay, this guy was a piece of work. She couldn't decide if she wanted to blush or laugh.

"Once again, my thanks. Is there anything I can do for you?" Pretty boy or not, she still had a lot of work to do.

Leighton actually looked shy when he spoke next. "I would be honored if I may have the pleasure of escorting you through the palace gardens, when next you venture out for a walk."

And there it was. Her first official suitor. Well, the first suitor who wasn't smart enough to hide behind other pretenses. She wondered if he was here of his own volition or if he'd been conned into it by some of her staff. Course, if they were trying to tempt her, they weren't doing their homework. Anyone with a brain would realize that she leaned towards the blonde-haired, blue-eyed, fedora wearing brand.

Speaking of, Cain shifted beside her. Another glance at him showed his face impassive, apparently unimpressed and uninterested. A part of her quailed, thinking maybe he wasn't interested in her at all and didn't care what she did. But what was she supposed to do with those _looks_ he gave her, especially in her darkest moments? Another part of her (the part that was sure he was in love with her and just afraid to say it) hoped that this would kick him into gear. Maybe.

But there was still Count Leighton in front of her, looking hopeful. "Count Leighton—"

An explosion rocked the entire building, rattling walls and creating showers of dust. Leighton lost his balance and fell onto his backside. DG yelped and grabbed the desk to try and stay on her feet. Cain grabbed her waist with one hand to steady her while the other went to his gun. Norris and the other guards rushed into the room, unsure of what was happening, but ready to protect if they were needed.

It wasn't needed though. DG had a bad feeling that she knew what had happened and a quick look at Cain showed that he shared her thought. Without speaking, they both tore out of her office, her guards behind her and Count Leighton lying on the floor, dazed and confused. Down several flights of stairs and into another wing, DG, Cain and all their guards finally skidded to a halt in front of Glitch's lab.

DG reached for the doorknob, but Cain grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him. "No, I'm going first." If she wasn't so concerned about her friend, she would have argued with him. As it was, she just wanted him to open the damn door. Cain slowly turned the handle and pushed open the slab of pockmarked metal that served as a door. Thick black smoke billowed out into the hallway, faint sparks peeking out from behind it. DG started coughing, her eyes watering at the stench of burnt wiring and gunpowder residue. Norris handed her a handkerchief and she gratefully held it over her nose and mouth, cutting down on the effort needed to keep breathing.

"Glitch?" Cain called, holding his sleeve over his mouth. He took a few cautious steps forward and DG followed close behind him, one of her hands on his back. "Hey, Zipperhead! Are you okay?"

Still, there was no answer. More sparks flew from various pieces of equipment lining the walls. The smoke shifted to a lighter color, but remained thick in the air. Patches of light seeped through the fumes, wisps of ghostly illumination. They shuffled forward awkwardly—the lab was normally a cluttered mess and with the shaded light it was hard to see where they were stepping. Clicking echoed from one of the corners, erratic and ominous.

"Glitch?" DG called, moving away from Cain and towards the clicking noise. The lack of response was starting to worry her. "C'mon, Glitch, answer me!" She waved her hands in front of her face, coughing and trying to clear away some of the dust. Another few steps toward the noise and then she stopped. The clicking had stopped. That couldn't be good.

As if on cue, a deep, reverberating hum settled across the room. The hair on the back of her arms stood up and DG was overcome with the unwavering thought that she needed to _get out of there_.

"DG!" Cain yelled from across the room. He apparently had the same idea. Unfortunately, the smoke had thickened once again and she couldn't see her Troop Commander, let alone the door. She spun around, hoping to find him, but it was useless. The hum localized to a point behind her and she turned around, dread in her wide eyes.

She came face to face with a fireball, expanding towards her.

DG screamed and instinctively flung her arms up in front of her face. A heavy body crashed into her and drove her to the ground, covering her once she landed. Her eyes were too tightly closed to see who it was, but her money was on Cain. Her face was pressed against his chest, the rest of her body tight against his own as they lay on the floor. If she weren't so terrified of opening her eyes and finding her skin covered in third degree burns, she would be decidedly flustered by their position.

When the sound of flame had disappeared and the energy had evaporated from the room, everyone took a deep, shuddering breath. Cain lifted his head and stared down at DG worriedly. "DG? Are you hurt?" He got to his knees and started clinically checking her, running his hands over her face and arms.

She cracked her eyes open, focusing on Cain's panicked blues. "I'm okay—I think." She coughed a few times, her abused lungs protesting. Her side wasn't too happy either, but she could only handle so many complaints at a time. Her eyes slid past Cain's face and instantly widened. She sat up quickly, nearly knocking heads with the former Tin Man. "What the hell?"

The air was shimmering faintly around them, encasing them in a light sphere. Norris and the rest of her detail rushed to their side, but pulled up short on the other side. Cain reached forward tentatively and touched the shimmer. The faintest of ripples sprung out from his fingertip, spreading across the golden expanse. The pitch of the room seemed to alter in DG's ears. She was too amazed to wonder about it though. "What is it?" she asked.

Crashes from the far corner of the room drew everyone's attention. Blissfully unaware, Glitch appeared, covered from top to bottom in thick black soot. He was wearing a pair of big round goggles over his eyes, but no other obvious protection besides that. He grinned when he caught sight of everybody, white teeth blazing. "Cain! DG! What are you doing here?" He reached up and lifted away the goggles, leaving two circles of pale skin.

Cain was less than thrilled. "Didn't you hear us calling for you, Zipperhead? Your machines nearly took down the palace and then fried the Queen!"

Glitch shook his head. "I was behind my soundproof lead screen, of course I wouldn't have heard you! And you're overreacting. It was just a little bang while I calibrated my transphase eradication rods, followed by a little belch of a flame from the energy output! They were out of rhythm, so I had to shock them back into sync. Nothing to worry about."

DG's mouth dropped open. "Nothing to worry about? Glitch, I almost rated as 'well-done!'"

The headcase opened his mouth to say something, then paused and cocked his head to the side. "Say, Doll, when did you learn to make a shield?"

DG and Cain exchanged bewildered looks, still crouched beneath the shimmering golden sphere. "Shield? Wait, _I_ did this?" Glitch calmly walked over and slapped a hand against the shield. It vibrated, but his hand didn't pass through. DG winced as the pitch in the air sharply spiked, but it seemed she was the only one that could hear it. "I don't get it, Toto never taught me how to do this. I never even knew I _could_ do this."

Cain was studying her. "You must have done it instinctively, reaching out to anything to shield you from the fire. Your magic responded and it saved your life. Shields are incredibly complicated and generally take a lot of practice to utilize. That's very impressive, if you're able to construct one without conscious thought."

"I'd be more flattered and impressed if I knew what the hell I was doing. How do I make it go away?" As fascinated as she was by this new talent of hers, she wanted to get up off the ground. And being in such close quarters with Cain had raised her blood pressure by about fifty points. Or it could have been the near death experience. Either or.

Glitch poked and prodded the shield a few more times, getting his blackened face right up to it until his eyes crossed. "Really amazing stuff, Doll."

DG leaned back on her elbows, a headache starting to take root, growing with each hit. "Hey, Glitch, can you stop doing that please? The sounds are giving me a headache."

Cain's attention was immediately back on her. "What do you mean?"

"Every time he hits it or whatever, the pitch in the air changes." Everyone was staring at her. "And I guess I'm the only one that can hear it. Great."

The former advisor shrugged. "It's your magic, tuned to you and you're the only one that can hear it. The sound is more obvious when you use your magic on a larger scale. There's nothing to it though, just think about pulling the magic back into yourself and the shield should go away!"

Closing her eyes, DG focused on the pleasant hum around her. She tried to visualized the shield and thought of absorbing that magic, pulling it back inside her. Like a sudden mouthful of helium, it rushed into her skin, tingling along her nerves and she gasped, falling back to the ground.

"Deeg," Cain said, concerned. His hand was on her cheek. "Are you okay?"

DG coughed again and opened her eyes to see the shield was gone. "Yeah. That was just weird. Definitely going to take some getting used to. I think I need to have a little chat with Toto about this." She sighed and wearily climbed to her feet with Cain's help—she was a bit woozy from the sudden magical drain and it took her a few moments to get her feet back under her. "Glitch, please try and keep the explosions to a minimum in the future. I don't want you to accidentally blow yourself up."

Glitch grinned and hugged her. "No problem, DG. Promise. Promise. Pro—" A slap in the back of the head from Cain drew a glare. "I'll do it for you, Dollface, but that's it, no stuffy Tin Men!"

Cain patted the headcase on the shoulder. "As long as it gets done. I don't want to have to sneak some little watchers in here to keep tabs on you."

DG suddenly went stiff, her eyes wide. "That's it," she whispered. "Cain, you're a genius. Gotta go. Bye, Glitch!" She turned and hurried out of the lab, her steps uneven at first, but getting surer the further along she went.

Cain ran after her, catching up at the first staircase. "Highness, what's going on?"

"I've just figured out how to help our longcoat problem as well as deal with Count Chocula up there."

"You mean Count Leighton?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I mean Count Leighton. Just let me do the talking. I only hope he's still there." They hurried up the remaining stairs, DG breathing hard by the time they got back to her office and Cain barely winded. She had enough presence of mind to curse him for it before she had to turn her attention to the next issue. She paused outside her doors and took a minute to catch her breath, her hands on her knees, gasping.

"Highness?"

She waved a hand out in front of her. "I'm fine, just out of shape. And still trying to recover from that magical backlash down there. I think I'm going to have to lay down after this." Another deep breath and she straightened. "Alright. Let's do this."

Leighton was still in her office, sitting awkwardly in one of the chairs in front of her desk, one of her guards standing in the corner of the room to make sure he didn't try and plant any explosives or anything while she was gone. He jumped up as soon as she entered, visibly relieved by her return. "Your Majesty!"

"Count Leighton, please forgive my hasty departure. There was a bit of an accident in one of the labs and I needed to make sure that everyone was alright. Please, have a seat." She rounded her desk and waited until he was seated to start speaking again. Cain stood by the door, arms crossed over his chest and silent. "You said that you come from the Eastern borders. Tell me, is your province by chance next to Earl Korben's?"

Leighton's right eye twitched. "I am sorry to say that it is, My Lady. His manor rests upon my southern border."

"Indeed? Then perhaps you are aware of the implications surrounding Korben's manor and his people—that he is sheltering longcoats and fought a company of my men recently?"

"I am. I am afraid that I have little information to offer you though concerning the longcoats or their movements. Any living behind Korben's walls remain there, especially after he left."

DG leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice a tad, but not so much that Cain couldn't hear what she was saying. "Of course. But surely some of your people have family on Earl Korben's lands? Surely they continue to allow peasant traffic to pass by the walls."

Leighton frowned. "There are some that have family there. It is possible that the peasant traffic continues, though I would not know."

The Queen smiled. "Naturally. But I would ask a favor of you. Go back to your lands and speak with your people, see who has family there and who would be willing to go and visit them. I do not want them to risk their lives in any way, just continue as they would every day. But while they are there, I would be grateful for any information regarding their troop movement and supply rationing. Once again, nothing that would endanger them, but any passing observations would be of use to the crown."

The Count seemed uneasy with the request, but nodded. "I will ask my people, see if any are willing."

DG grinned. "Excellent. Please make sure that this is kept secret—the fewer that know about this, the less chance of someone getting hurt." She circled her desk again and held out her hand to him. "And when you return with your findings, then I will make time for that walk in the garden."

Leighton smiled at that and bent over her hand, kissing the back of it. "I would be honored, Queen Dorothy. I will not fail you." He rose and quickly left the room, the other guard fading out with him and leaving her alone with Cain.

The second the door closed, DG made a face and wiped her hand on her skirt. "Ugh. He better come back with some good information or I won't be able to force myself to sit through what is undoubtedly some sparkling conversation."

Cain chuckled and moved closer. "Don't underestimate him, I'm sure he's more wily than he looks. That was good thinking though, putting spies in Korben's land. The longcoats would never expect a local peasant to be sending us information."

"Exactly. Here's hoping it works."

"I'm sure it will. While that may have taken care of Lieghton though, you've still got a lot of other suitors to worry about. What are you going to do about them?"

She tiredly rubbed her forehead; her headache hadn't entirely gone away. "I have no idea. I'm just going to have to suck it up for a while I guess. Though I have a bad feeling that they won't let up until I'm married. Of course, I could always enjoy messing with them."

Cain warily looked at her. "What do you mean?"

DG grinned. This had potential. "I'm a quirky Other Side Queen, I'll bet they have no idea what they'd be getting into. Some of the stories I could tell would make their ears burn. And any man that doesn't run for the hills may have some potential." She rubbed her hands together. "Oh yes, this could be fun."

Cain rolled his eyes. "I almost feel sorry for them." A pause while something flashed across his eyes. "Almost."

There was something there that she would examine later. But for now, she had places to be. "I'm going to go have a little chat with Toto and then lay down for a bit, hope this headache goes away. Maybe we can continue this meeting later?"

"That's fine. Just promise me you're going to stay away from Glitch's lab. One heart attack a day is more than enough for me."

"You think _you_ had a heart attack? I was the one about to become flambé! As if I need another reason not to sleep at night. Okay, Toto then bed." She moved to the door, pausing only briefly to kiss Cain on the cheek as she passed. All she said was, "Thanks," before moving on, not telling him what she was thanking him for. It could of been for all his work concerning the longcoats. It could have been for trying to save her in the lab. But in her mind, she was just thanking him for being his sweet, infuriating, over-protective self.

* * *

**Well, this was certainly a much more lighthearted piece, wasn't it? I figured you guys needed a break from the flangst, hehe. Unlike the last piece though, this one fought me every step of the way. But because of the simply overwhelming response I got to 'The First Mistake' I pushed through to bring you this chapter!**

**I think the reason it was so hard was because I was dealing with overdone material: DG's suitors. But I hope I managed to make it fresh and something different. This piece kind of leads into the next one (which will be more of the same, lighthearted and rather fluffy, I think) which will further lead into number seven, which is going to be on par with 'Mistake.' Just warning you all now, hehe. Also, I should mention that I stole Glitch's 'transphase eradication rods' from Stargate. I couldn't think of anything so I lifted the idea of the TERs... course, in Stargate they don't blow up or spew flame, but whatever.**

**Well, I hope that you all enjoyed this! I can't say enough how much I appreciated all the feedback, it definitely motivated me to start writing right away! I'm flying out of town for the next three days for my roommate's wedding, so I won't be able to reply to your reviews until Sunday-ish. But please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!**


	6. The First Magical Test

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own.**

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"It's been almost three weeks."

"I know that. But we don't have enough information. I don't think we're ready to commit to anything yet."

"War isn't fought under the best circumstances; you make do with what you have. We may be low on intel, but the men are anxious and our supplies are assured."

"And how many men am I supposed to send off on this little jaunt into enemy territory?"

"A brigade."

Choking. "A _brigade?_ You want me to send half the damn Royal Army to Earl Korben's manor? Are you _insane?_"

"Sending more troops is how we compensate for lack of information. Unless those spies return and tell us that their position is not as fortified as we may think, we need to try and make sure that our lines are not overrun and that our offensive will not fail."

"Of course it won't fail, not if we throw five thousand men at it!"

Deep sigh. "We're long past the point of finesse now. Three weeks since the attempt on your life. They have repelled Jeb's company with ease. They have had time to lay traps, to further train troops, to prepare for a siege. I know you didn't want to go in 'guns blazing' as you say, but there may not be much choice left. We have to move soon."

A leather chair creaked as weight settled upon it. "I know, I know. I just hate walking into something blind, especially when there are so many lives at stake."

The crack of old joints protesting. "Do you remember what I said to you when Jeb's company returned? That you were going to have to make a lot of hard decisions in the future, but that I was going to be there, every step of the way. This is one of those decisions that has to be made and made soon. And I'm telling you what I think is best. But I'll support you no matter what you choose."

"Because I'm your Queen?"

"Because you're. . .you're my DG. And that's all you ever need to be."

For several long moments, the Queen of the O.Z and her Troop Commander remained, gazes locked. She was sitting down and he was crouched before her, her hands caught between his own. The intense moment was destroyed by a knock at her office door. Cain reluctantly dropped her hands and stood up, his knees cracking once again.

DG curled her hands into fists, trying to preserve the warmth he had given her. She forced her eyes away from him and instead focused on the door. "Come."

Norris entered, his bulk sliding easily into the room. "Excuse me, My Lady, but Tutor has requested your presence in the palace gardens."

She frowned. "Toto? I don't have a scheduled lesson with him though. Did he say what he wanted?"

Her guard shook his head, sunlight skittering across his pockmarked left cheek. "No. He did say though that Commander Cain might find the proceedings interesting and may attend if he is available."

She raised an eyebrow and looked at Cain, who returned the look and shrugged. "Alright. Let's go see what Toto's cooked up for us." She left her office and led the way to the gardens, Cain half a step behind her. She tried to focus on where she was going rather than the man behind her. But it was a losing battle. The fact was that things between them had gotten more intense every day. Something was going to have to give soon or she felt that her head was going to explode from the tension.

Stained glass doors led out to the palace gardens and she pushed them open, taking a deep breath of the fresh breeze that ruffled her hair. Even though they were in the middle of Central City, they had the luxury of a full garden, high up above most of the buildings—it reminded her of rooftop gardens in New York. Many days and nights were spent out in the gardens sketching, whenever she could spare a moment.

Standing in the middle of the gardens was Tutor, calmly waiting for her, uniform immaculate. Off to his right was a small pond, populated by vibrant purple fish that DG was always fascinated by. A pile of medium size rocks sat to his right, her old green doll atop them. There was nothing else extraordinary about the setting though and she began to wonder just what he had planned for her.

"So, Toto. Cain and I are here. What did you want to talk to me about?"

He folded his hands in front of him. "Your Majesty. I think that it is about time that we test your magical strength."

"My magical strength? Um, isn't that what we do at every one of my lessons?"

"Not quite. Your lessons are more aimed at perfecting spells and building up your stamina, as it were. But recently you implemented a shield spell without my teaching you how. I have always known you have a great deal of power, but I think it is time we find out exactly how much."

Cain cleared his throat. "And why am I here, exactly?"

"You, Mr. Cain, should pay attention to this test. DG can be a valuable asset in a fight. If you know her limits, then you can use her effectively like any other soldier."

DG tried not to snort. Like Cain would let her anywhere near a battlefield. "Alright, let's get this started then. What are you going to do, just make me keep doing random things until. . .until, what exactly?"

The briefest hesitation flashed across Tutor's face, but DG caught it and instantly grew wary. "You have never been fully drained of your magic before, I am not sure how you will react, as all magical users are different. That is another goal of this test, to detect the signs of your exhaustion and help us to pinpoint your limit." He motioned to Cain and the guards to step away from DG and give her space. "For now, we will start with one spell. I will add on others and you will try and sustain them all."

DG laced her fingers together and pushed outward, cracking some of her knuckles. "Sounds easy enough. What's first?"

"First, I would like you to raise a shield."

Shield spell. Shouldn't be too hard. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating on her magic and molding it into a visible bulwark around herself. The telltale pitch in the air changed and she opened her eyes to see the faint golden shimmer. Sweet. "Piece of cake. Bring on the—"

A rock clanged against the glow and DG yelped, the shield flashing a bright gold as she instinctively reinforced it. "What the hell was that?!"

Tutor stared at her evenly. "The shield is useless unless it is tested. Periodically throughout this test I will throw tangible objects as well as magical spells at you, which you must repel, while keeping your other spells under control. Understand?"

Glaring, she huffed and nodded. "Fine. Could have warned me though. Alright, shield is up and holding. What next?"

He motioned to the pond next to him. "Part the water until you can see the bottom."

She raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding. What am I, Moses?"

Tutor shook his head. "I do not know who Moses is, but I assure you I am not kidding. This is another complex spell that requires concentration, to keep the water firmly separated. And don't let your shield drop either."

"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled. When Tutor had first mentioned a magical test she thought that it would be fun. Now, she wasn't so sure. With a part of her mind still focused on the shield—lest Tutor decide to throw any more rocks at her—she focused on the water of the pond. Slowly, it began to ripple towards the edges, gradually turning into near waves as a deep furrow appeared in the liquid. It grew deeper and deeper until the muddy bottom appeared in a thin line, high waves of water bracketing it on either side. That took considerable effort, but she was proud of herself and rather impressed. Her next act would be to bring manna down from the sky.

"Excellent, DG, excellent." Even Tutor sounded impressed, which was always a good sign. Maybe he didn't expect her to be able to do it. Either way, besides another change in pitch and a bit of expended energy, she still felt fine. A weak stunning spell hit her shield, but didn't broach it. "Even better."

A long, bored sigh. "Alright, Toto. Shield, check. Parting the Red Sea, check. And next on the docket is?"

Tutor raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps we should wait, make sure that you have a handle on these spells before I increase the load."

DG shook her head. "I'm fine, Toto, honest. I can handle it. Besides, we're supposed to test my limits, right? So let's test them!"

"Very well. Since you have such a grasp on the elemental magic, I want you to create a small, controlled whirlwind. It is another difficult spell, so be mindful of your other concerns."

Mentally juggling her spells, she narrowed her eyes, focusing on a piece of barren ground between Tutor and Cain. The wind picked up, rushing down into the gardens and coiling tightly upon itself. Gradually, a foot-high tornado took shape, catching dirt, leaves and blades of grass in its vortex. The rest of the wind died down, but the tornado continued, perfectly controlled.

Cain gave a low whistle, eyes wide. "That's incredible, Highness. How are you feeling?"

"Just peachy." That last spell had put a strain on her, but she wasn't about to admit it. On cue, Tutor threw both an offensive spell and a rock at her. Her shield flashed and held, repelling both attacks. "I told you I could handle it, Toto."

"Indeed, I am impressed. But we are far from finished." He grabbed her doll in his hand and then pointed to the rocks. "Levitate these rocks, keeping them stacked atop one another in the air."

"Yes, Yoda." Once again, DG closed her eyes and focused on her objective. She tried to reinforce her other spells while she mentally turned to the rocks. Her shield fluctuated as Tutor threw something else at her, but she tried to ignore it, thankful the shield was still holding. Instead, she willed the rocks to float, keeping them precariously balanced atop one another. They rose to eye level and remained there, hovering.

The pitch was starting to get painful now though. The effort of keeping four complex spells running simultaneously was draining her and she strained to keep everything in check. A hint of beaded sweat broke out across her brow and she hastily wiped it away with the back of her hand.

"DG?" Tutor asked.

"I'm fine," she said, focusing on him briefly before checking out her other spells. Everything seemed to be holding so far. "Just getting used to it all. I've got it under control though, honest." She could do this. She _would_ do this. If they thought she could be useful in a fight with her magic, then she was going to show them just how useful she could be. "Bring on the next one."

"Highness—"

"I'm fine," she said, cutting off Cain. "It's only four spells. Come on, Toto, what's the fifth?"

He studied her for a moment then nodded. Suddenly a barrage of metal debris clanged against her back and she gave a short shriek of surprise before twisting around. Norris stood there, looking apologetic, a length of lead pipe in his hands. At her feet rested several more pieces of pipe as well as what looked like several different tools. She pointed a finger at her bodyguard. "Traitor! You had better give Glitch his tools back or he's going to tear up the castle looking for them and I don't need the extra clean up." She turned back to Tutor. "See, I even managed to keep your sneak attack out. Now how about something that I can use in a battle, something useful? The fifth spell?"

He waited a moment, allowing the sounds to wash over her. To her left, the water rushed together, still held back by her magic. To her right, the controlled whirlwind continued, whistling merrily along. The rocks silently hovered and her shield remained golden bright. Combined, the pitch was enough to hurt her ears. Next time, she would have to wear ear plugs.

"Very well. Create a mist on the ground, one that would shroud a person in invisibility. But keep it only at ankle-height, so that we may still see each other."

She'd never even thought about doing something like that before. Which meant she needed to expend even more energy to create the spell. Eyes closed once again, she focused on manifesting the mist, feeling a cool brush against her calves. Opening her eyes, she saw the white tendrils creeping across the ground, shading the green almost completely from sight. That was definitely something she could use in a fight. If she had the strength for it, that is.

Because now she was beginning to feel the strain. Her energy was depleting quickly with five spells up and running at the same time. But she knew she could take more. "There's your mist. What's the sixth spell?"

Tutor frowned. "DG, you are already being drained by these spells, I don't think it wise to add another."

"Once again, Toto, this is to test my limits. If I'm not worried, then you shouldn't be." Truth be told though, she was worried. Her palms were slick and a headache was quickly taking root behind her eyes. She was half worried that her ears were going to start bleeding from the sounds of her magic. Giving up was not in her vocabulary though.

"One final spell then." He held his hand out, her doll resting in his palm. "I don't want you to make her spin. I want you to make her dance. Following precise steps through the air."

Dance? "Alright. Anything in particular?"

"A simple waltz will do."

Right. She thought it would have been more entertaining to make the doll do the Macarena or the Electric Slide, but a waltz would be good enough. Another part of her mind sectioned off and focused on the doll. She rose several inches from Tutor's palm then began to twirl in the air, spinning and moving around as if she were dancing a perfect waltz. As an added bonus, the Queen caught a stick up from the ground and put it in front of the doll, two small twigs matching up to her hands perfectly.

DG's giggle barely had time to break free before she was focusing on her shield once again, Tutor's attacks growing in ferocity. This time though, her shield dimmed under the onslaught. She frowned and brought her hands up, concentrating on the spell. The pitch in the air had gotten positively painful—any higher and only dogs would be able to hear it. Sweat broke out on her skin once again and she grit her teeth. Her head really started to throb and her limbs to tremble. No, she could do this. She was strong, she wasn't going to let six measly spells get her down. Her fingers curled slightly, as if she were clutching magical threads in her hands.

"DG?" Tutor asked, frowning and staring at her. "How are you doing?"

She wanted to tell him she was fine and could handle much more, but she was losing control and she knew it. Her magic was draining from her and she was losing dominion over her spells. The rocks rose and fell unexpectedly, nearly hitting the ground before shooting up to the air again. The walls of water sprayed outward, no longer rigidly held back. The doll began to sway drunkenly, her waltz disintegrating. The mist grew more transparent and patchy. And the tightly held whirlwind began to expand and break out, the wind whipping up debris and snapping clothing from side to side.

A couple of her guards shouted and she forced her mind to concentrate. She needed to get control of her magic or someone was going to get hurt. She could do this, she wasn't going to give up. Unaware of her own voice, lost amid the pitch in her ears, she screamed and clenched her fists together, forcing her spells back under control. For a moment, everything settled back down. But then her eyes began to cross and blood began to drip out of her nose while her body shook—it was all too much for her. But she refused to give up, refused to let go. Everything began to spiral out again. The blood dripped onto her dress as she gasped for air, sweat pouring down her face.

"_Stop! DG, stop it, let go!_" Cain's shouted words penetrated her tracked mind and everything froze as her magic suddenly evaporated. Simultaneously, rocks crashed back to earth, water smashed together, wind broke free and escaped, mist dissipated, the doll fainted and her shield winked out. It all happened at once, but she didn't notice any of it. Body overcome, her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed.

* * *

"—letely unnecessary!"

"It had to be done! She needed to be tested."

"That doesn't mean she needed to be drained to within an inch of her life!"

"It was never my intention to do so! She should have let go long before that point."

"And if you knew anything about her, you'd know that she doesn't just give up, even if it's in her best interests!"

The yelling was really starting to annoy her. And it was definitely not helping her headache. Actually, she'd classify this as a migraine, headache was too weak a word for it. Her entire body ached, thrumming with displeasure. The only good thing seemed to be that the constant pitch in the air had disappeared. Small mercy. The pain masked most other sensations, so it took her a minute to realize that someone was holding her, two arms cradling her gently. She couldn't worry about that now though, now she needed to stop Cain and Tutor from killing each other.

Unfortunately, her body was not on the same page as her. She didn't think she could move and opening her eyes was a no-go as well. In fact, it didn't seem like she could do much of anything except whimper piteously.

Instantly, the yelling stopped and the arms tightened around her. One callused hand rested against her cheek, brushing hair off her forehead and stroking her skin. "DG? Come on, Sweetheart, open your eyes for me."

Well, when he asked like that. It felt like the Black Mountains were weighing down on her lids, but she forced them open, slowly. Cain was hovering over her, worried eyes sharp on her face. A relieved smile broke across his lips. "That's my girl. Don't try and move, just lay still for now."

Definitely not a problem. She hurt too much to move, even if she wanted to. Instead, she focused on making her voice work. "I'm—" Her voice sounded like a cat dying. She winced and tried again. "I'm sorry I couldn't hold out longer."

Cain frowned. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"I lost control. I could barely hold onto six spells. I thought I could do more."

Tutor crouched down next to them, shaking his head. "DG, on her best day, your mother—who was the most powerful Queen in two centuries—could only control three complex spells at a time, _maybe_ four. You were able to sustain six complex spells for a period of time. With more training, you can hold out longer, I am sure." He clasped DG's hand, ignoring Cain's glare. "The point is, DG, you are the most powerful Queen in a millennia. You have nothing to be sorry about."

"Except for endangering yourself like you did." Figured Cain wouldn't let it drop. She turned her eyes back up to him, still ensconced in his arms. While the relief was still in his eyes, the fear for her life and the anger at her carelessness was starting to take precedence. "Sweetheart, we couldn't tell anything was wrong with you until you started bleeding and your spells went out of control. Which was another heart attack I didn't need." He had a special knack for making her feel guilty. She wanted to hug him. . .but she would have to be able to move her arms first. "If we can't tell when you're going to reach your limit, that means you have to be smart and know when you need to stop."

"He's right, DG." Stop the presses, Cain and Tutor actually agreed on something. She would make a crack about it if she weren't in the middle of being berated. "You can be a valuable asset on the battlefield, but you are useless if you won't be honest about how much longer you can go before you are drained. Tell me, what were the clues that you were drained?"

She considered for a moment. "Overall fatigue. A steadily growing headache. That damn pitch in the air which just got higher and more painful the more energy I used."

"Good. Remember those signs. Because when the time comes for you to use your magic, you are going to be the only one able to tell when you need to stop. And forget heroics. It's all well and good to say that you can go on, but what if you lost control in the middle of a battle when no one could get to you and protect you?"

"I get it, I get it." She really did. Lesson learned. Now, she just wanted to sleep for a week.

"We can finish berating her later, Pooch. Right now, I think DG needs to rest." Thank God for Cain. She couldn't agree more. "I'm going to take you to your room." He lifted her effortlessly.

"I can walk," she muttered, smiling sheepishly at Norris and her other guards as they passed. Her head guard gave her a stern look—apparently they weren't happy with her sudden collapse either.

Cain snorted, not breaking his stride. "I doubt that. You had trouble opening your eyes, it's unlikely your legs are going to cooperate." She rolled her eyes and sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder. She didn't have the strength to argue with him. So she closed her eyes and let him carry her, willing her migraine to go away.

"Queen Dorothy!" Oh God. She knew that voice. And her migraine flared in response. "Queen Dorothy, whatever happened?"

Cain's entire body tensed and she forced her eyes open. Hurrying towards them was Count Leighton, his eyes wide and concerned, his breath just a touch labored from his brief jog. If she didn't have the energy to walk, she certainly didn't have the energy to deal with him. But then she remembered what they had talked about during his last visit and a part of her grew more attentive. She would make this quick.

"Just a small accident, nothing to worry about." Even if he didn't notice the dried blood on her dress, he would certainly draw conclusions from the fact that her Troop Commander was carrying her. Lovely. "I am afraid I am in no state to receive visitors at the moment."

"Please, Queen Dorothy. I understand, but I have returned with the information you requested. I believe that it could be of some use to you."

She couldn't help the raised eyebrow. Against all odds, Leighton may have actually come through for them. And that might just solve a lot of their problems. "That is wonderful news. Um, Norris?" She had to wait until he slid into her view—this whole issuing orders from Cain's arms was starting to get embarrassing. "Please have Count Leighton escorted to my office." Norris bowed and motioned to one of the other guards. DG turned her attention back to Leighton, her eyes already starting to droop. "Please go with him and I will speak with you later."

Leighton's bow was hasty as Cain was already moving past him. DG wanted to tell the former Tin Man that he didn't have to be so rude, but honestly, she didn't care. Besides, if Leighton was stupid enough to bother a clearly exhausted Queen, then he deserved the harsh response. Her headache throbbed again and she returned her head to Cain's shoulder and dozed.

She didn't open her eyes again until she felt herself being lowered onto her bed. She glanced around her room, relieved to see the curtains drawn and only a few scant candles illuminating the space. Cain was the only person with her and she returned her attention to him, sitting next to her bed. He took one of her hands within his own while his other hand returned to her cheek, gently stroking the skin.

"You have to be more careful, Sweetheart," he said.

DG wasn't sure what part to focus on: that he was being openly affectionate or that he had called her Sweetheart three times in the past couple of minutes. Either way, her heart beat just a bit faster. "I'm sorry. I really thought I could handle it. I know better now and it won't happen again, honest."

Cain nodded but didn't move. "As long as you promise to listen to that hum in your ear, I'll believe you."

The Queen gave a small smile before it disappeared. She didn't like what she had to say next, but it had to happen. "I need you to go to my office and talk to Leighton."

The Troop Commander frowned. "What? I'm sure someone else can do that."

"No, I need you there. You and I have kept most of the planning for this battle between us, so I need the most informed person there, which is you. You're the one who will know exactly how to organize the information he gives you, as well as whether it can be useful or not."

Cain's hand tightened around her own. Voice soft, he said, "I don't want to leave you."

Her exhaustion kept her from throwing herself at him, which was probably a good thing. She needed to maintain some dignity after all. It was hard though, with such a heartfelt admission, matched only by the look on his face and in his eyes. All directed at her. Equally soft, she said, "I don't want you to go either. But this has to get done. And I'm just going to sleep anyway; it's not like I can hold much of a conversation right now."

He looked from her to the doorway, internally weighing his options. Finally though, he sighed and nodded. "Alright. I'll get the information. But I'm going to have Norris sit in here with you until I get back, we're still not sure if being drained has any other effects on you."

She wanted to roll her eyes and tell him that was not necessary, but she didn't. If it kept Cain's mind at ease, she would let it go. And like she said, she was just going to sleep anyway. "Fine. Go talk to Leighton. And tell him that I'll talk to him tomorrow. I still have to walk with him in the gardens." She pulled a face. "I have to keep my word, after all, or I'm in serious trouble."

Cain chuckled. "Alright. I'll be quick. You just go to sleep." He took her hand and placed a lingering kiss on her palm. Then he was gone, quietly sliding out of her room. DG stared after him, shocked. She curled her fingers, as if she wanted to preserve the imprint of his lips on her skin. Because while every suitor and nobleman kissed her knuckles or the back of her hand, Cain was the only one that kissed her palm.

Sinking further into her pillows, she sighed and closed her eyes. Tomorrow, they would have to make plans for war. Today though, she would rest, recover and dream.

* * *

**Okay, so the fluff kind of got away from me. I was not expecting it to be that fluffy, but what can you do? I'll blame it on the wedding (which was a ton of fun, by the way).**

**I don't really have a lot to say about this piece, other than it wrote pretty easy. My style kind of was all over the place for this one though, so I apologize for that. The muse just didn't want to stay in one place. And writing about all of DG's spells was a lot of fun, actually. The next one though, will be a bit more difficult—it's going to be angsty war. Hopefully it won't take that long, but no promises.**

**One thing I do have to say though is that I am amazed and honored at the response that this story has garnered. I've never written anything so well received before and I appreciate every one of your reviews, more than you could know. Once again, please let me know what you liked or didn't like—your feedback inspires me! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!**


	7. The First Battle Part 1

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. Insanely long author's note at the end.**

* * *

It was midday when the brigade of soldiers from the Royal Army arrived at their destination. Far out on the Eastern Borders, they approached Earl Korben's manor from the west, appearing in solid lines out of the forests and cresting the hills like so many swarms. A wide field of grasses and dandelions spanned the distance before the high stone walls that encased Korben's lands. It was bisected by a dirt road, leading up to a set of metal gates, closed and barred. Beyond the walls, most of the modest homes of the peasants were hidden, but Korben's house stretched upward upon a hill, set away from the rest.

The first thing the soldiers did was to set up a perimeter and scout the land for the perfect place to set up their camp. Once a position was chosen, some of the soldiers continued scouting, while the rest peeled off to set up camp. Swiftly and efficiently, tents sprang into life, slung into orderly rows. Larger tents, which housed the infirmary and the mess jumped up at the back. Within no time at all, the heavenly aroma of a cooked meal began to drift upon the air, enticing those already done with their duties.

On a slight rise sat the biggest tent of all. It took shape quickly—a smaller section as a private sleeping area and the much larger area dedicated for planning and conversing with those in charge of the attack. Guards remained stationed at this tent, even when other work needed to be done; they were the only ones excused for any reason.

Standing in front of the tent, staring out over the developing camp was the Queen of the O.Z. Her dark green trousers and black leather boots were splattered with mud, but she hardly cared. Her green jacket was belted at the waist to ward off any chill. On top of her head rested a simple gold circlet, marking her as royalty.

A light breeze blew the sweet smells from the cooking tent up to her and DG's stomach rumbled. Traveling on the road, with an emphasis on speed didn't leave much opportunity for a fully cooked meal. Which was why the cooks were already hard at work: after all, they had five thousand hungry mouths to feed.

DG turned from the well-organized camp to face Korben's lands and see if they were giving anything away. Leighton's information had been surprisingly helpful, offering a lot of data concerning movements and traps that may be planned. They now knew that a series of landmines were buried before the walls. They also knew that not all of the villagers were there willingly—so if they could breach the walls, there was a chance that they could have a rebellion to help them. Of course, they also knew that Korben's lands had become a haven for longcoats. And while not all of the defunct soldiers were contained within the walls, a healthy amount of them were. To win this battle would go a long way towards restoring the equilibrium of the O.Z.

She knew that. She knew how important these next few days would be. And that was why she was there. Most decidedly, against Cain's wishes. In fact, this was probably the most violent argument they had ever had. He had refused to let her come, said it was far too dangerous, that she was a prime target and it would only take one stray bullet for the entire country to be thrown into utter chaos. DG, her stubborn streak flaring, had replied that her place was with her men and she was going to put those bastards in their place and that her magic could be invaluable.

Needless to say, most of Central City must have heard them arguing.

In the end though, DG had won. So she rode out with the brigade, determined to send a message to all those that opposed the crown. And now that they were finally there and gearing up for what might turn into a siege, she was glad that she had come. This was another step in her monarchy and she was going to face it head on.

DG frowned, considering the terrain in front of her. Her chin dropped to her chest, one long finger tapping against her nose. Deep in thought, she turned and strode into her tent, instantly going to the table that supported all the maps and plans for their attack. She pulled out one in particular from the bottom, a wide view of the manor and surrounding lands, with colored notations marking the locations of people and weapons.

She wasn't that worried about the longcoats within the walls—not yet. However, she was concerned about the road and grasslands leading up to the doors: the ground pockmarked with landmines, randomly placed in front of the walls. They could only enter the manor, of course, assuming that they could bypass the snipers and other gunmen along the ramparts. The chances of anyone reaching the gates was slim to none. Then getting into the manor was another headache: the stone walls were ancient and strong, the gates were reinforced steel that would require at least a direct charge to open them—not that anyone could get close enough to administer it.

The paper crinkled as she tried to smooth it out, tried to see a way that wasn't there before. Unfortunately, while Leighton had been able to provide this information, he couldn't give any exact position on the explosives or snipers. Which left them in a bad, untenable position. She needed to think of another option and soon.

Heavy canvas shifted and a set of footsteps moved behind her. "Highness." Cain's voice was flat and businesslike, betraying nothing. Another consequence of their fight was that they were barely talking to each other. They didn't let their disagreement affect the mission, of course, but everyone could feel the frosty tension between them. DG hated every minute of it, but she was right, dammit, and she wasn't going to apologize for it. "I brought you something to eat."

"Thank you," she muttered, not turning to acknowledge him. "I'm not hungry right now though." Her stomach rumbled, but she ignored it. She had too much to do to think about eating.

He sighed. "You should still eat something. You didn't eat much this morning and you should keep your strength up."

DG didn't even see Cain that morning, so how he knew about her lack of appetite was a mystery. He'd probably still been keeping an eye on her, even though they were both pissed at each other. Figures. "I will later. I have more important things to worry about right now."

"Like what?" He stepped up to the table to peruse the maps and estimates laid before her.

"Like how I'm going to get close to the gates to talk to them."

He snorted. "You're kidding." When she didn't reply, his voice lowered into incredulity. "You're _not_ kidding. Are you insane? Even if you did manage to avoid stepping on a landmine, you would be shot the second you were in range."

"Which is why I need to think of a way to bypass all that. I have to try and talk to them, Cain. I can't just go in shooting without first trying the diplomatic route."

"Even when their idea of diplomacy is a bullet between the eyes?"

She flinched at the brutal image and tightened her hands around the edge of the table. "Yes, even then. Because I won't have my reign marked by stretches of sinking to the enemy's level. Besides, part of the reason I'm here is to try and solve this without any need for an attack."

Cain shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. "You're here because you refused to listen to me. You insisted that you and your magic would be useful and you ignored every protest from your advisors and guards. Your stubbornness is why you are here, nothing else."

DG glared at him. "I'm here because my magic gives us an advantage over them and we need every edge we can get."

"Well unless your magic can solve the landmine problem, then I don't see how it gives us an edge, because we'll still be stuck here, out of range and out of combat!"

DG slapped the table. "Fine! You want a demonstration or something? I'm happy to oblige!" She stormed out of the tent, stalking down the rise and through the camp. The soldiers milling around in front of their tents scurried out of the way when they saw her face. She was too angry to care.

Cain caught up to her and grabbed her elbow, but she yanked it out of his grasp. "And just what do you think you're doing?" He kept his voice low, but it was painfully obvious to everyone that they were arguing.

"I told you, I'm giving you a demonstration and proving to you that I'm right. I'm more valuable here than I am at the palace and I'm going to make you see that."

"What, by getting yourself killed?"

"No." She turned and poked him in the chest. "By solving our "landmine problem."" She made quotation marks in the air as she said it, which drew a confused frown from Cain that disappeared at her mocking tone. He opened his mouth to reply when she stopped at the edge of the camp, looking down the dirt road towards the gates of Earl Korben's manor. Behind her, the soldiers that had cleared a path for her closed up again, curious as to what she was going to do. A part of it was curiosity in hearing the Queen and her Troop Commander arguing too. Not that anyone would admit it.

Cain shifted, uncomfortable with being this close to the enemy, even if they were still within the confines of the camp. "Well? What are you going to do?"

DG didn't answer at first, her brow furrowed in thought as she stared at the ground. Finally, she sank to her knees and rolled up her sleeves. "Hold on," she said. Then she dug her hands into the dirt, bowed her head and closed her eyes.

While everyone else exchanged confused glances, DG sunk into herself, focusing on her magic, pulsing beneath the surface. It gathered at her hands and then began to branch out from her fingertips, slithering through the dirt like roots from a tree. It moved steadily in opposite directions, forming one solid baseline. Nothing happened during this phase, her magic silent and invisible. But once it had stretched out to match the length of Korben's walls, it then moved forward in one steady wave. The tendrils wove through the dirt, passing by everything organic and seeking out the metal, lifeless objects buried in its path. And that was when things began to change.

Her magic sought out the landmines in the field. Once one was found, the tendril wrapped around it and added pressure until it detonated. The explosion sent a geyser of dirt into the air, the pieces showering to the ground. Quicker and quicker the explosions began to happen as her magic moved inward and combed over every inch of land that her soldiers would travel over. They wouldn't be able to see the landmines before they stepped on them, so she was their first and only line of defense against the weapons: and she wasn't going to fail.

After the last mine had been detonated, DG slowly drew back her magic, imagining it weaving through the ground like snakes. Once it returned to her, she opened her eyes and took a deep breath, only to start coughing on the cloud of dust raised from the explosions. All told, she had eliminated nearly two dozen mines placed randomly across the road and throughout the field. Undoubtedly the longcoats had seen the entire display. Hopefully, this might encourage them to consider the easy way out.

DG withdrew her hands from the dirt and wiped them on the front of her coat. She leaned over to the side, still coughing and trying to catch her breath. The drain on her was moderate—she could still do some more spells if she had to, but she wasn't going to be up for anything flashy for a while.

Two strong hands went under her arms and helped her to her feet. "Highness, you okay?" Cain was in front of her, eyes concerned as he looked her over. Her knees shook a bit beneath her and her limbs felt heavy, but it wasn't anything serious.

She took a stuttering breath, wincing as it wheezed through her lungs. "Yeah, just a bit wobbly. I'm pretty sure I got them all though, so that solves at least one of our problems."

A wry smile crossed his face. "You never cease to amaze me, Deeg. I'd say you took care of the problem just fine. Come on, let's get you back to your tent so you can rest for a while." He slipped one arm around her waist to steady to her as they moved slowly back through the camp. The soldiers parted once again for her, this time smiling broadly and bowing as she passed. Hundreds of lives had just been saved and everyone knew it. And no one would forget it.

The walk back to the tent was made in silence, mostly because DG was trying to figure out what was going on. Only minutes ago, she and Cain had been at each other's throats. But now it seemed like he had pulled a complete one-eighty and returned to his increasingly affectionate self. It didn't make sense to her and she didn't know how to react to it. Especially because she was still annoyed at him.

Cain guided her through the opening of her tent and towards a chair, helping her to sit down. Once she was sitting he rose and turned to Norris, who had followed them in. "Can you give us a minute?"

Norris raised an eyebrow but nodded, quietly backing out and taking up a position at the entrance. DG frowned and rubbed a hand over her eyes. "Want to yell at me in private?"

Sighing, Cain crouched in front of her, resting his hands on her knees. "No. I need to make sure that you understand something that probably wasn't made clear back in Central City. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for your abilities and what you are able to accomplish with your magic."

"That wasn't what you said a little while ago."

"I know, I was frustrated with you."

"And you're not now?"

He growled and his hands tightened on her knees. "I will be if you don't let me finish." She bit her lip as a faint blush stained her cheeks. He took that as a sign to move on. "I know you can be useful in battle, that display just proved it. I didn't want you here because you are far too important to risk on a poorly planned attack or a random explosion. Rooting out the longcoats and saving those captive people is crucial, yes, but nothing is as important as you are."

Her eyes dropped to her hands, clasped in her lap. "I don't agree with it, but I know. Because if I were to die, the whole country would be thrown into chaos."

"It's not just that." She looked up, surprised by his hushed tone. And then she was struck speechless by the naked emotion on his face; the pure, uninhibited feeling laid bare across his eyes. She had never seen him so open before. "DG, I—" He was visibly struggling for the right words. "It's not the country I'd be worried about." He paused, drawing in a breath like he was drawing in courage. "You're important to _me_, DG. _I'm_ the one that can't lose you. So when I get angry about you putting yourself in harm's way, it's not a slight against you or your talents. It's just me being scared that you'll get hurt."

There were tears in her eyes and she knew it but she didn't care. She'd spent so much time daydreaming about a moment like this, but it had never come close: her imaginings could never capture the emotion in his eyes or the depths of his voice, scorching straight to her heart. Her sense narrowed to herself and Cain, amplified by the overwhelming love she felt for him.

"My Lady?"

DG had been a heartbeat from speaking when Norris's voice broke between them. She couldn't fathom the disappointment that crashed through her at the tarnished moment. Her eyes were still on Cain's trying desperately to tell him everything she wanted to say with one look. "Yes?" Her voice was as wobbly as her legs, although for an entirely different reason.

"The officers are here to discuss the assault for tomorrow."

She didn't reply, just kept her eyes on Cain's. The Troop Commander reached one hand up to cup her cheek, thumb sweeping across her skin. She desperately wished they had more time, had even a minute, but they didn't. She turned her head so she could press her lips to his callused palm, hoping he understood. His other hand tightened on her knee for an instance. But then he stood and stepped away from her, leaving her bereft. She looked up, but he was already moving to the map table, organizing it for the meeting. DG struggled to her feet. "Send them in," she called. She then turned and headed into the sectioned off portion of the tent, reserved for her sleeping quarters.

To say DG needed a minute to gather herself was the understatement of the century. She nearly collapsed on her bed, her heart skidding within her chest and her blood crashing in her ears. Cain had all but said that he loved her. If she hadn't been sitting, his admission would have surely knocked her off her feet. She desperately wanted to stay on the bed and replay the last few minutes over and over, but she needed to be at that meeting. So she sat up and took some calming breaths, willing her heart rate to return to something resembling normal. Then she smoothed out her hair, adjusted her circlet and straightened out her dirt encrusted clothes before she re-entered the main part of the tent.

"Gentlemen."

"Your Majesty." The eight officers in the tent all bowed to her, clearing a space at the table for her. The commanding officers of each of the four battalions was present, as well as their seconds. Once the meeting was over, the seconds would go and inform the lower-ranking officers of the battalion, who would in turn relay the information to the noncommissioned officers and then—finally—to each individual.

"Now that we're all here, let's go over the plan of attack for tomorrow."

Cain then took over the briefing, seeing as it was mostly all his idea. "Tomorrow, we are going to assault the walls from three different angles using three of the battalions. Colonel Zahn and Fourth Battalion will remain in reserve. As is painfully obvious, there is no cover leading straight to the walls, allowing for easy targets. Thanks to the Queen, we no longer have to worry about the landmines. But that was only one of the problems. Our intelligence suggests that immediately before the walls, there is a long trench on either side of the road. These two trenches support a heavy machine gun at either end, totaling up to four guns. These guns will naturally be covering the forward approach and will be armed by the men in the trenches.

"Tomorrow morning, two battalions will leave before dawn and move silently to opposing flanks in an effort to draw some of the attention away from the front, as well as make a run at disabling the guns. Colonel Scalzi and Second Battalion will take the right flank to the South—there are some large, broken rocks there that should provide ample cover. Colonel Abercrombie and Third Battalion will take the left flank to the North, using the sparse forest to help mask your approach. Though both of you will leave early, you will not start your attack until First Battalion has begun its approach and engaged the enemy. The First will be lead by Colonel Card and myself. We will proceed up the middle and attempt to make the gates, after the guns have been neutralized."

"But Commander," broke in Zahn, frowning at the map. "Moving directly up the middle is suicide, there is no cover there."

Cain nodded. "I know that. But when the Queen detonated the landmines earlier, she left behind a series of half-dug foxholes. The moon is beginning a new phase and there will be little light tonight. With the darkness as cover, several men will move out into the field and deepen these holes to provide shelter for the First in the morning. Once in the foxholes, the men can easily supply suppressing fire as well as use mortars to try and weaken the enemy's position.

"While all this is going on, _do not_ forget about the longcoats behind the walls. They have the advantage of height and stable ground; they will attempt to snipe us from above. Keep the men behind cover and always ready to take a shot at any longcoat that shows his face. Move swiftly and quietly. Hold your position." He paused and looked around at the colonels as well as the seconds sitting back. "Any questions?"

Colonel Scalzi ran a hand over his shaved head. "Commander Cain, you say that you will be with the First tomorrow? Who will be directing the wider movements of the troops then?"

"I plan on being in the field so that I can have a better sense of the battle and where our offensive needs reinforcement, if any. I will do what I can to command from there, but the Queen will be aware of the wider picture and able to properly direct the troops. She will issue the necessary orders."

DG kept her face impassive, but a part of her winced. She knew that she would have to do some of the ordering in this battle, but she didn't like it.

Colonel Abercrombie spoke up next. "Say we are able to breach the walls tomorrow. Obviously our goal is the longcoats. But what should we do about any of the villagers that are still there, or servants kept within the manor?"

Cain sighed. "We believe that many of the villagers and servants may be there against their will, but we cannot be sure. Hopefully, once we show up, they will help resist the longcoats and make our job easier. Of course, some of those that have betrayed us might claim to be our allies, just to avoid being caught. Therefore I want every person to be brought to one central location where we can sort them out and verify their allegiance. There are to be _no civilian casualties_. I want as little collateral damage as possible; these people may want to return to their homes once the vermin are cleared out."

"Of course. Any idea how many longcoats we're facing?"

Cain and DG shared a brief look. "None. So never let your guard down because it'll be hard to tell if we've cleared everyone out until we've done a sweep of the entire area. Any more questions?"

The colonels all shook their heads, but DG cleared her throat, drawing their attention. "No question. But I believe I told you that I want to go talk to them."

She had the pleasure of watching eight jaws drop simultaneously in shock. The ninth, though, tightened audibly. "I thought I told you that you would be shot the second you came into range."

"So I use a shield."

"Your shield is good enough against magical spells and rocks, but how do you know if it would be able to withstand a bullet?" She grew decidedly bashful and Cain's eyes narrowed. "Highness?"

"Toto and I might have experimented with a gun to see if it would work."

"_He shot you?!"_ The colonel's all took a step away from their commander as his anger lashed outward.

"Of course not!" She may have been curious, but she wasn't stupid. "I made a separate shield that we shot at. And it repelled all the bullets. So with the landmines gone and a shield in place, it should be safe enough for me to go up there and have a little chat with the cretins."

Cain shook his head. "No. You already used a lot of your magic with that trick earlier, I don't want you to get out there and have your magic run out when you need it most."

"That's not going to happen. I have a much better grasp on my magic now and I know my limit. I can do this, it won't put a strain on me. Besides, I know the signs of the drain, so I'll just cut the conversation short and hightail it back here if I think I'm going to pass out."

He blew a frustrated breath through his nose and stared at her, sizing her up. She met his gaze levelly, confident. Finally, he sighed. "Fine. But I'm going with you. If things go wrong, I want to get you out of there. And maybe we can get close enough to get a better look at the trenches and guns."

DG grinned. "Good. Let's go now before we lose too much light."

Cain nodded and then turned to the officers, who had sat quietly during the stand-off. "Inform your men of the plan, make sure they know it backward and forward. We will relay any new information to you once we return. Dismissed." The men saluted Cain and then bowed to DG before exiting the tent.

When she moved to follow them outside, Cain stopped her with a hand on her elbow. "DG. I need you to promise me that you're going to be careful. If your magic starts to waver at all, you let me know so we can get out of there. I don't want to take any chances."

"I promise I'll be careful." She lowered her voice. "I won't do anything stupid, Wyatt. Honest." His eyes searched hers for several long moments before he finally nodded, apparently satisfied. He then led the way out of the tent with DG on his heels.

Word had spread fast and the entire camp was moving, waiting anxiously for their Queen. DG tried to appear nonchalant as she approached the line once again, though all of her nerves were quaking. She knew, logically, that this was something she had to do. But that didn't stop her from being scared. Because these were the people who freely orchestrated her death and the eventual demise of her family. And that was something that she could not let stand.

"My Lady!"

Norris's voice brought her round to see her bodyguard hurrying toward her, carrying a tall pole with a stretch of rectangular fabric attached to the top. It was a field of emerald with a silver border. In the center, stitched in silver, was the twister symbol. It was the standard of the House of Gale, and all of the O.Z. Norris held onto the pole proudly. "You still need someone to carry your standard, My Lady."

DG shook her head. "Norris—"

"I will not let you approach those gates without me." Her eyebrow rose in reply. Not only was he vehement, but he had also cut her off, something he had never done before. He bowed his head. "I have sworn an oath to you, My Lady, and I will not fail you."

She glanced over at Cain, who simply shrugged, a hint of a smile on his lips. She sighed and focused on her bodyguard. "Alright, Norris. But only you, no one else. I don't want to tax my magic any more than I have to. Stay as close as you can to Cain and I, I want to keep the shield as small as I can." With Norris at her back and Cain at her side, she closed her eyes and drew on her magic to form a shield.

Cain cleared his throat. "Highness, think you can maybe make it invisible? The glow is going to be a bit distracting otherwise."

"Picky, picky," she muttered, but focused on the shield until it dropped its tell-tale golden glint. "Alright. Let's go." As the entire camp watched, the three started off down the road, moving quickly towards the walls. Occasionally, they had to step around large holes left over from a detonated landmine. The entire time, everyone's eyes were intently scanning the ground and surrounding area, trying to gather any information that might help them.

The closer they came to the walls, the clearer they became. And just as their information suggested, four heavy machine guns were in front, tracking their every movement. To say she was uneasy with four barrels pointed at her chest wasn't right. It took everything in her not to turn and run away. Still, she lifted her chin high and kept on.

"That's far enough!" They were about fifty feet back from the gates and trenches when the voice yelled at them from the top of the wall. She looked up to see a man standing on the ramparts, one leg braced on the walls. "Who are you that dares approach?"

DG bristled. "I am Queen Dorothy of the House of Gale."

She couldn't see his face very clearly, but she could hear the surprise in his voice. "Really? The Queen has come to grace us with her presence? Well, we have to welcome her properly then."

The gun immediately to her left let loose, spraying a volley of bullets at her. DG clenched her fist and her teeth, reinforcing her shield. The magic flashed gold as each of the bullets struck the shield before bouncing harmlessly off and falling to the ground. Each impact pinged in DG's ear and she winced at the noise, which hurt worse than the actual gunfire in her mind.

Once the gun fell silent, DG let the shield fall invisible again. "You didn't really think I would come here unprotected?"

"Perhaps not. But I had hoped. Now, tell me, _Your Majesty_." The sneer echoed in her title. "What do you want?"

"I want you to surrender."

The man laughed. "I don't think so. It is our supreme wish that you and your family pay for what you have done. You must suffer for every day of light since the eclipse. And every person that rejoices in your reign will suffer for their ignorance."

"Ignorance? The only ignorance that I see is yours in thinking that we can be defeated. The O.Z is made up of more than just me. It survives on the hopes that tomorrow will be better. And once I have dealt with you, it will be."

The longcoat snorted. "Forgive me if I don't believe you. If you have only come here to badger me with my imminent demise then we have nothing more to say."

She wasn't done yet though. "If you will not surrender, then at least release the hostages. You have no need for them."

"I disagree. They are great entertainment when we get bored. Especially the women." DG's stomach clenched. She prayed to everything that was holy that he was just lying and trying to get a rise out of her. "No, I think everyone is going to stay right where they are. My men inside these walls and your men outside. And if anyone tries to change that, well, let's say the population is going to decrease."

One of the guns opened up briefly again, as if to test whether the shield was still active. The bullets all rippled off, ineffective. But the drain on DG began to effect her. She needed to wrap this up and get out of there. "You listen to me," she said, her voice deadly, all traces of diplomacy gone. "I will not stand for any violence against my men. And I will not tolerate any violence against innocent bystanders."

The longcoat laughed. "Is that a threat, Queenie?"

"I don't make threats."

"Then what was it?"

"A promise." Her eyes narrowed. "When we meet again, I will not be nearly so accommodating." She turned and started back towards the camp, her back straight and her mind focusing more and more on her magic. Her breath started to come in pants.

"Deeg?" Cain asked quietly.

She shook her head and quickened her pace. "The drain is getting bad, we need to get out of range."

Cain instantly put an arm around her waist to help her along. Norris shifted behind them and placed his entire body between DG and the longcoats so they couldn't see her or her need for help. She spent the hurried walk back with her eyes closed, counting on Cain to lead her. The pitch in the air was growing and she was getting close to passing out again.

"Okay, Deeg, let it go." She dropped the spell with a gasp, just as her legs gave out on her. Cain's arm tightened and pulled her into his side. Her bleary eyes opened to see they were not quite back to the camp yet, but far out of range of the manor's guns. She closed her eyes and let her head loll onto Cain's shoulder. "Sweetheart?" he asked, voice concerned.

"Just tired," she muttered. At least she'd learned a valuable thing today—blocking machine gun fire was a hell of a lot harder than blocking rocks.

"You can't sleep yet. You have to give a speech before you can pass out."

That woke her up. Her eyes shot open and she turned to stare at Cain. "What? What speech?"

"For the men. You need to give a battle speech, encourage them and inspire them to fight. I don't think you'll have the time to hug everyone beforehand, but your words should be enough."

"Why me? You're the Troop Commander, you should do it!"

He shook his head, guiding her around a hole in the ground. "But you're their Queen. And they love and respect you. Anything you say will be enough. But you have to do it tonight because Second and Third battalion will be leaving before dawn and we don't want any noise."

She groaned. "Great. You know, it's one thing to give you, Raw and Glitch a pep talk before we're going to storm the Tower. It's another to give a talk to five thousand men I've never met."

"You'll do fine. Just be encouraging and your honesty will come through. As soon as you're done, you can sleep, I promise."

Sleep was furthest from her mind now. All she could think about was this speech she suddenly had to give. For a while, she considered blatantly ripping something off from the Other Side—either from a movie or a former president. But most of the speeches she could remember didn't really apply. (For instance, they weren't being attacked by aliens, so _Independence Day_ was out.) She did remember a few lines of Shakespeare that might come in handy, but that wasn't going to help her much. It was looking more and more like she was going to have to wing it. . .which wasn't her first choice, but had become her motto ever since she landed in the O.Z.

Before they got into camp, DG took a deep breath and pulled away from Cain, taking on her own weight. "It's probably better if they don't see me as I'm about to pass out," she said by way of an explanation.

Cain snorted. "Maybe. But there's no shame in accepting help when you need it."

"I know that. But the speech has to be all about strength in your leaders and yourself. And standing on my own two feet is as good a start as any."

"If you say so. Go stand on the hill in front of your tent, I'll gather up all the men." Cain left once they were safely inside the camp and DG did as he said, moving partway up the hill. She turned to stare out over the camp and watch the men gather.

"Norris? Can you give me the standard please?" Her guard obliged, jamming the pole into the ground next to her foot. It painted a patriotic picture, the Queen with one hand around her standard, stretched out in the wind with sunset rays behind it. That wasn't why she wanted it next to her though.

DG really just wanted to have something to hold onto to help keep her upright.

The men assembled quickly, eyes all turned upward to their monarch. Cain soon enough headed up to her, nodding to let her know that she could begin. Her fingers tightened around the standard as she took a deep breath and prayed for the right words.

But they didn't come. She had no idea what to say. So, taking Cain's advice, she decided to be honest. "I'm not going to pretend that I know what to say to you. Each and every one of you is willing to sacrifice yourself for not only a cause that you believe in, but for a person that you have never met. Because by defeating these longcoats, holed up like rats behind those walls, you are saving hundreds of lives—starting with the villagers and servants held captive in that manor.

"Since the end of the Witch's reign, I have seen you rise to the challenge and help restore a troubled country to glory. This change is not my doing, but yours. Because without your service and your courage, we would be nowhere. For this, I cannot even begin to express my admiration of you. But because of this, I also don't know what to say that would encourage you in your fight."

She paused, considering, then just decided to go for it. "Back on the Other Side, there's a famous playwright. The lines from one of his plays seems rather appropriate for this occasion. '_But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother, be he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition._'

"Tomorrow, we are all going to be brothers and sisters in war. Such is the lot of any person in the O.Z these days. But this battle is not fruitless and it is not hopeless. When you go forth tomorrow, have faith in your fellow soldiers. Have faith in your commanders. And though I am not sure I have earned it, I ask you to have faith in me. Faith that I want nothing more than your safety. And faith that I will bring you home again.

"Be strong. Be courageous. And Ozma willing we will all be together in victory!"

The soldiers instantly started cheering, chanting her name and beating any hard surface near them. DG blushed, surprisingly humbled by their support. Maybe there was something to this speech thing after all. Their enthusiasm energized her, enough that she confidently released her hold on the standard. She felt like she should wave or bow or something, but she knew that wasn't proper. So she just inclined her head. Then she turned and walked into her tent, leaving the cheering masses behind her.

Almost the second the flap closed behind her, she dropped into a chair. It didn't matter how great she felt, her body was still ready to shut down on her. The flap opened again and Cain entered, his eyes going straight to her. She sighed in relief and held out her hand to him. "Thank God you're here. Can you help me over to the bed? I'm about ten seconds from passing out here and I'm not sure I can make it on my own."

He snorted and took her hand, pulling her up and dragging her against him. "That was incredible, Deeg. I don't know why you were worried, that speech was perfect."

"You really think so?"

"Of course. I especially liked those lines from that poet."

"Yeah, while everyone else in the class was memorizing parts from _Romeo and Juliet, _I memorized _Henry V_." He frowned in confusion. "Never mind. I'm glad it worked out though, I just hope that it helps them." They moved into her private part of the tent and he eased her onto the bed. She sighed gratefully. "Great. I will definitely sleep well tonight." She tossed her jacket off to the side and slid her boots off. "Don't be afraid to wake me though, if you need me for something."

Cain shook his head. "I'll take care of everything, don't worry about it. You just rest, get your strength back. Tomorrow's going to be a rough day."

"Don't I know it." She hesitated then, unsure. "You really think I'm handling this all okay?"

He sighed. "Battle tests everyone, leaders most of all. Being faced with death and destruction brings out the true being in a person. And I think that so far, it's shown everyone what a truly amazing woman you are. You are doing great. Just keep your resolve strong and don't lose sight of what you want to achieve and you will come through this fine." He gently pushed against her shoulder, urging her to lie down. "Now, go to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

She caught his hand before he could leave her. "Thank you, Cain. For everything."

He smiled and bent down to kiss her forehead. "Anytime, Sweetheart." Her eyes were closing before he had even left the tent. She needed all her strength because the next day would see her face her first battle.

**TBC...**

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**Okay, don't kill me! I know I said I would post each story in its entirety, but this one was just getting out of control and I had to split it up. I mean, I'm over 7000 words and I haven't even gotten to the actual battle yet! Even though I don't know how long the next part will be, I decided that I would post what I have so you can have something to tide you over until I finish it.**

**Though it's taking me a while, trust me when I say I'm hard at work on it. I was doing research on certain guns and military formations for a while. (All units and ranks are based on the current US Army ground force numbers, with the exception that a battalion is normally commanded by a lieutenant colonel, rather than a full bird colonel. Small tweak on my part.) I want this to be well-done, so I'm taking a bit more time than I normally do on it.**

**Small bit of trivia: I've named the four colonels after some of my favorite sci-fi/fantasy authors. If you know any of them, I'll give you a cookie. (Okay, not really, but it'll make me happy.)**

**Also, the quote was from Shakespeare's **_**Henry V**_**. I am a huge fan of Band of Brothers; I was obsessed with it long before I was obsessed with Neal. I was watching Part 2 for inspiration actually and have referenced the book as well as Buck Compton's memoirs (all highly recommended). So, in short, I'm spending a lot of time trying to make this realistic. I'm hoping it's going to reflect that.**

**I will try and get the next part out as soon as I can, but clearly that might be a little bit. But rest assured, I am working on it! So, thank each and every one of you for reading and reviewing, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! Also, thanks to everyone that has favorited this story and put it on alert! You guys are the reason I want to make this good. Until next time, please let me know what you think! Thanks! (And sorry for the ridiculously long author's note. Yikes. I just can't seem to shut up!)**


	8. The First Battle Part 2

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. I was going to split this up, but I decided to be nice and just post it all at once. So beware, you have a 11,000 word chapter ahead of you!**

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The sky was showing the first hints of pink when DG woke up and silently dressed. Fully recovered physically and magically, she was finally ready for the day, despite the apprehension that settled in her stomach like tar. Even at the battle for the Tower, she had not been that close to the fighting—her own personal war had taken place on the balcony with her sister. But now she was going to get a front row seat to the carnage.

A tray of breakfast food awaited her, but she could barely look at it. Even though she had hardly eaten anything yesterday, she didn't think she could keep much down. Still, she grabbed a piece of toast and distractedly munched on it as she once again studied the maps. Each chart and list of figures was seared in her mind from hours of study, but she still went over it, making sure she hadn't missed anything.

"My Lady?" Norris entered the tent, more armed than usual, which was saying something. All he needed was a few bandoliers and she was going to start calling him Rambo. "Last night, the men were able to deepen a large portion of the holes left over from the landmines, creating many suitable foxholes for the First battalion. Earlier this morning, Second and Third battalion left with no incident and very little noise. There has been no indication that the longcoats are aware of our plan. First is getting geared up at the moment and should be ready to move out as soon as the suns rise."

"Good. Were there any problems during the night I should know about?"

"Nothing. Commander Cain took care of any concerns that the men had."

"Of course he did. Please tell me he slept at some point."

Norris smiled. "He did. Not that long, but he did sleep."

DG stood up and searched for her circlet, pushing papers around to find it. "I swear, that man is a robot. Are we sure he doesn't bleed hydraulic fluid?" A glint of gold caught her eye and she tugged the circlet out before settling it on her head. "He spends so much time lecturing me, that he forgets about himself. Remind me to yell at him later."

"Of course, My Lady."

His face was impassive, but DG could hear the teasing tone of his voice. She grinned and patted his shoulder as she walked by. "Alright then. Let's go."

Outside, the soldiers were all hustling about, finishing last minute chores and making sure they were fully equipped. Each man checked over his weapon one last time, despite the fact most had spent the entire night disassembling, cleaning and reassembling it multiple times. Their boots shone in the dim light, the result of hours of nervous polishing. They didn't have much in the way of armor, but what they did have was checked again and again.

The air was thick with anticipation, her words from the night before still echoing on the morning breeze. As the suns peeked over the horizon, the rays caught upon the glowing emerald standard, spotlighting it. More than one soldier paused to stare up at it. There was no more time to waste though. With the suns' appearance, the soldiers hurried to form up. The Fourth battalion, meant to be held in reserve, lined up, backs painfully straight, eyes alive with the hope of a chance for glory. The First battalion was just as impressive, but it was marked by nervous tics—a twitch of a hand, a discreet cough, a jittering leg.

DG stood in front of her tent, watching before turning her eyes to Earl Korben's manor. There was no visible difference from last night, except perhaps that she could see more men atop the walls than before. Still, they appeared to remain blissfully unaware of what was about to hit them and she thanked Ozma for those small mercies.

"Highness, we're ready to march." Her eyes moved to meet Cain's, Colonel Card and Colonel Zahn behind him.

She nodded. "Excellent. Colonel Zahn, please line up your men so that they can be clearly seen by the longcoats—I want them to think that Second and Third battalion are still with us." He nodded and quickly turned to arrange his men in a new formation along the line. "Colonel Card, Commander Cain. I wish you luck. Please be safe."

Card bowed to her before turning and rejoining the troops, but Cain hesitated. Slowly, he pulled his trusty fedora off his head and handed it to DG. "Why don't you hold onto this for me, Highness."

DG stared at him, mouth slightly open. Cain never went anywhere without his hat. "What? Why?"

"Because I'm a bit too recognizable with this on. And any longcoat worth his salt is going to be aiming at the officers."

The thought that Cain could be killed today rifled through her heart. Sure, she had known it was a possibility the entire time they were planning the attack, but now that the day was here, it was startlingly real. She reached out a trembling hand to accept the hat, not sure she wanted to. To her, accepting the fedora meant that she was accepting the possibility that he wouldn't come back to get it. And that wasn't allowed. "This is only temporary. You had better be back to claim it later."

"Of course." He hesitated another moment, his eyes searching her face. But then he broke the gaze, sighed and bowed. "The battalion is waiting, Highness. Good luck today."

DG watched as he turned and started down the hill towards the waiting soldiers, never looking back. She was suddenly gripped with a terror so strong that she actually felt her heart stutter. What if this was the last time she ever saw him? What if he died out there? She couldn't let things stand as they were, not if that was a possibility. "Wyatt!"

He stiffened and turned, surprised at his shouted name. DG shoved his hat into Norris's arms and ran to him, not caring in the slightest what a fool she must look. Once in front of him, she placed both her hands on either side of his face, ensuring he was looking right at her. "You said that you can't lose me. Well, _I_ can't lose _you_. So you have to come home. Do you understand me, Wyatt Cain? You have to come back to me."

Her voice broke on the last word. She didn't care. All that mattered was that he understood what she was trying to tell him. Slowly, he took her hands within his own, pulling them together. He kissed her palms, the faintest of touches. And then he whispered one word, for her alone. "Always."

Though it didn't allay her fears any, it was enough. Because now he knew that she cared about him. She squeezed his hands tightly before letting them go and taking a step back. He smiled at her, a reassuring smile that he so rarely displayed. Then turning, he joined the front of First battalion next to Colonel Card and led the soldiers out onto the field.

DG watched them go, marching in steady, confident lines. She prayed with everything in her that they would all return, though she knew that was impossible. Still, she prayed anyway. Colonel Zahn cleared his throat behind her. "Your Majesty, my men are lined up. I have added the cooks and smiths to their ranks to increase their numbers as well."

"Good idea." She turned and took a few steps to the side, waving both the Colonel and Norris closer to her. "Norris, Colonel Zahn, I have a favor to ask of you. Throughout this battle, you both have permission to speak freely at any time. And I mean it. If you can think of a better strategy than what is going on, tell me. If you see an opening I don't, let me know. If you think we should retreat, you speak up. Is that clear? I don't want any notion of rank to stop you from voicing your opinion."

The two men exchanged looks before bowing. "Of course, My Lady. Whatever you wish."

"Good." She returned her attention to the battlefield. "I'm going to need all the help I can get." They waited silently, watching the First move steadily forward. The activity on the walls of the manor picked up, but no one had fired a shot yet. She bit her lip as she waited for something to happen.

"My Lady?" Her eyes went to Norris, who was holding out Cain's hat to her. "Would you like this back?"

The top of it was dented from where she had shoved it at Norris. She winced and took the fedora and tried to punch out the dent—Cain would kill her if she ruined his hat. She was unsure what to do with it at first. All she knew was that she didn't want to let it out of her sight. So she took off her circlet and threaded it through her belt so it was there if she need it. Then she settled the fedora on top of her own head. She probably looked ridiculous but that wasn't different than any other day of her life, so she didn't care.

"When will Second and Third begin their attacks?"

A burst of gunfire cut off any answer. The First suddenly scattered, their neat lines fracturing into hundreds of individual people. As she watched, the men dove into foxholes spread across the field, ducking out of the way of the heavy machine gun fire. Unfortunately, not everyone made it and more than a few bodies remained on the surface. The Royal Army began to return fire, popping out of the holes to add a few rounds to the fray before disappearing again before the longcoats could get a bead on them.

Battle cries rushed across the wind to her. But they didn't come from the First. Suddenly converging on the flanks of the manor was the Second and Third battalions. They had lain dormant, waiting for the First to break. Now that the longcoats were fully engaged, they were joining the fight. The soldiers dodged in and out of cover, dividing their fire between the men up on the walls and those in the trenches, manning the guns.

The Third, sheltered behind the forest, was covered in debris and foliage, camouflaging them and making them harder to hit. The Second only had large rocks as cover, but they used the irregular shape to duck down and cover them with overhangs while they managed to get some shots off. With the flanking maneuver in full motion, the First began to increase their fire. Some men even got up the courage to run from one foxhole to the next, further distracting the longcoats with the allure of an easy target. Most made it. A few didn't.

DG tapped her foot against the ground, anxiously watching. The urge to grab a gun and go help ran through her, but she stayed put. She listened to Colonel Zahn, his second, Major Knight and Norris discuss aspects of the battle, noting the enemies movements and their reactions. She filed away all that information, but kept most of her attention on the field before her, occasionally issuing orders to shift troops to a certain area.

Things were taking too long. The First, though they were returning fire and even managed to get a few mortars off—which blew holes into the stone wall, but didn't penetrate—were effectively pinned down and unable to do much else with the heavy machine guns trained on their position. The Second and Third weren't nearly as pinned down, but they were spending too much time worrying about the snipers on the walls to make a move on the trenches.

"Send runners to the Second and Third," she said suddenly. "Tell them to split into companies: half focused on the wall while the other half makes a run on the guns. Surprise is out and we need to neutralize them so the First can stop hiding." Knight ran off to deliver the messages. She knew the moment they received the order because two companies of men on either side suddenly broke off and ran to the walls, using it for cover while they moved to assault the trenches. They were counting on their brothers to take out any longcoat that leaned over to take a shot at them.

The enemy had a different idea though. DG frowned as she stared at the walls. "Someone give me some binoculars," she said, holding out her hand. It took a moment before a pair were slapped into her palm. Holding them to her eyes, she focused on the ramparts. A couple of longcoats were hauling what looked like a big black cauldron up to the walls. She could see steam rising from it and with a sick horror she knew what they were going to do. They moved closer to the wall and began to tip the cauldron over. They were going to spill boiling oil onto her men at the bottom.

"No!" she screamed. She tossed the binoculars away and ran down the hill. Once at the edge of the camp, she threw out her hand and pushed at her magic, begging it to reach the walls in time. A blast of cold air whipped her hair around her head before flinging outward, racing across the battlefield. The moment it touched the cauldron, it froze both it and its contents into solid ice. A few of the longcoats yelled in surprise, startled by the sudden drop in temperature. But those that were holding onto the cauldron found their hands frozen to the metal and unable to let go as it overbalanced and tipped over the side, the men attached to it. Her soldiers avoided the falling group and then used the distraction to attack the nearest gun.

Further down the ramparts, a second group of longcoats had been wrestling another cauldron into position. Frightened by what happened to the others, they tried to throw the entire thing over the walls. But DG called on her magic again and sent a second blast of cold air towards them, freezing the cauldron and its contents. Unable to steady themselves, the longcoats fell backwards in surprise, taking the threat with them.

Now that the men in the trenches were worried about attacks from the side and behind them, the First was able to leapfrog further up the field into other foxholes. They continued their suppressing fire aimed at the walls, trying to keep the snipers busy and distracted. But as the fire intensified, so did the cries of pain from the wounded as more and more men contributed to their numbers. With the fighting so important, no one could be spared to evacuate those already out of the fight, but still capable of living.

DG turned and strode back up the hill. "Colonel Zahn!" He snapped to attention. "Your battalion consists of four companies, correct?" He nodded. "Split them up. You will keep Able company here, still in reserve. But I want Bravo to head to Colonel Scalzi's position, Charlie to go to Colonel Abercrombie and Dog to Colonel Card. Your men are to evacuate the wounded and bring them to the healers. Help out the battalions as you can, but right now, your first priority is to get our injured out of there. Understood?"

Colonel Zahn seemed unsure about the order, but snapped off a smart salute and hurried to the captains who commanded each individual company. She turned to Norris next. "Send a message to the healers, tell them to be prepared to receive the wounded who should be here shortly." He nodded and signaled one of his men, who ran off with the message.

An explosion drew her round, eyes wide and heart in her throat. The heavy machine gun to the far left, attacked by Colonel Scalzi's men, had exploded. Black smoke poured out from the position, drifting high and blocking many of the longcoats' sight lines. Norris handed her the binoculars she had discarded and she jammed them to her face. She could still see fighting in the trenches, flashes of gunfire and closer blades. Her soldiers must have captured the gun then and decided to spike it, rather than risk the longcoats regaining it.

A second explosion to the far right sent another heavy machine gun up in flames, this time sparked by Colonel Abercrombie's men. The remaining two guns were still firing sporadically down the line, keeping the First at bay, but not stopping them from changing positions. She could see the longcoats in the trenches growing more harried as they tried to fight off soldiers from multiple sides.

Above them though, the action was intensifying once again. The longcoats—apparently deciding to cut their losses—were going to use a stop gap measure. The binoculars went back to her eyes but she didn't need them. She could see the fire from here. They were going to kill off their own men left in the trenches in the hopes of stopping her soldiers from gaining any more ground. And they were going to use some kind of flame thrower to do it.

"Like hell you will," she snarled, dropping the binoculars and stretching out both her hands. Once again she called on the wind to help her. It swirled around her like her own little whirlwind before breaking loose to swipe across the field. It whipped up to the ramparts and blew out the flame spouting from the barrels of the throwers. But DG didn't stop there. She increased the force of it and the wind blew hard enough to knock all of the men off the ramparts, screaming as they fell.

She drew her magic back, letting the wind die down now that her men were safe. With the snipers temporarily neutralized, the First took the opportunity to rush forward. Two simultaneous explosions marked the end of the heavy machine guns and the longcoats in the trench with it. Half the men rushed toward the gates while the other half remained back to cover them and supply suppressing fire.

But then DG's attention was diverted to the wounded. They were coming back now, some carried on makeshift stretchers by members of the Fourth, while others limped back on their own. Those that were still moving under their own power only seemed tired, if a bit shell shocked. Those on the stretchers were far worse off as they were mourning the loss of limbs and blood. They moaned and cried as the stretchers filed past, calling out for an end no matter how it may come. Some were simply too shocked to say much of anything, their eyes staring blankly up at the sky, hands folded calmly over their wounds. These were the men that scared her most of all because they already looked dead.

Screams from the other direction brought her back to the field. The men that had stormed up to the walls were finding the gates impassable. The small explosives they had were ineffective against the burnished metal. And the longer that they remained on the wrong side of the walls, the longer the longcoats had to prepare a defense. They probably wouldn't try the boiling oil trick again, but nothing would stop them from shoving rocks down onto her men, out of sight of her own snipers.

Some tell-tale streaks of dust and pebbles from up above made her believe just that. If her men didn't get out of there soon, they were going to get buried under a ton of rock. From the looks of it, the chances of them getting through the doors were slim to none. But she might be able to help there.

"Call them back."

"What?" Zahn didn't think he had heard her right. "But, Your Majesty, we have the advantage."

"For the moment. Right now though, our men are out of explosives and they will not be able to penetrate that door. There is no harm in pulling back and regrouping, the guns are spiked, so they can't use them against us anymore. We need to pull those men back before the longcoats decide to topple the wall down on them. Sound the retreat."

Zahn growled but did as he was ordered. A series of long, low notes strung across the battlefield, bouncing off the walls and flowing back. The men quickly peeled off at the signal, leapfrogging back in an effort to provide covering fire as they steadily moved further and further out of range.

DG waited until the majority of the men were well on their way back before she turned. "I'm going to go help in the infirmary. Colonel Zahn, please assess our losses and let me know your findings." Without waiting for a reply, she strode down the hill and through the camp to the back where the infirmary tent was.

Since her first encounter with Jeb Cain's decimated company, DG had made a point to spend some time with the healers to learn some basic field medicine. She would never be able to do surgery or anything else complex, but at least now she could properly bandage wounds and recognize the symptoms of some of the more common field diseases. She put these new skills to the test the moment she stepped into the tent and was bombarded by the sounds of a hundred dying. She idly wished that Raw were there to help them with triage, but he wasn't and they had to do the best they could with what limited resources they had.

Methodically, DG started to move through the injured troops, aiding those she could and alerting the healers to those who needed more advanced help. Though Norris followed her constantly, she was pleased that the rest of her guards had automatically started helping—this time without her having to yell at them. She did what she could to soothe each man she tended to. Those that were conscious were amazed and honored that their Queen was tending to them. She just brushed it off and smiled, hoping to ease their pain.

There were a depressing amount of wounded. But with nearly every uninjured soldier helping, things moved quickly and all the wounded were tended to, or in line to see the experienced healers. Then, with the living seen to, DG decided to move to her next tradition: honoring the dead.

Unfortunately, most of the dead soldiers were still lying on the battlefield—it was still too dangerous to retrieve their bodies. So the makeshift morgue was only populated by those that had not survived their trip to the operating table, or those who had died in transit. She stood at the entrance of this smaller, more secluded tent and let her eyes take in the dead bodies, let her nose take in the smell of the deceased and let her ears take in the disturbing lack of breath. This time, her mouth didn't fill with bile, but her stomach still twisted.

Silently, Norris appeared at her side with a bucket and a rag, guessing what she was going to do. She could barely express her gratitude to him, but he didn't want it. He simply laid the bucket down next to the first body and then stepped outside, blocking the entrance and leaving her alone.

She was sitting quietly in front of the first body, praying to Ozma for his safe passage when someone knelt beside her. She wanted to jerk back and tell the person to go away, but she didn't. Cain wouldn't have left anyway. She wanted to throw her arms around him and never let go, but she didn't. Unabashed affection felt out of place in such dour surroundings. She wanted to run away from this horrible place and claw at her mind until the countless eyes of the dead left her, but she couldn't. Her task wasn't finished yet.

She wiped the back of her hand across her forehead and spoke quietly. "'_Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.'_ But still the valiant die. It's hard not to think of all this as pointless when I'm faced with a corpse that was breathing an hour ago."

Without looking at her, Cain took her hand within his own, rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand. "I'm sure he didn't think it was all pointless. In fact, I'm sure he believed in what he was doing. Don't forget, DG, they made their choice. We tried to watch over them as best we could, but now his journey lies with Ozma."

She sniffed and turned her head to finally look at him. One side of his face was splattered with blood not his own, while the rest of his fair skin was smudged with dirt. Once again, the reality that he might not have come home returned to her and she squeezed his hand. "Why are you out there, Cain?"

He frowned. "I'm sorry?"

"Why did you choose to go out in the field, at the most dangerous position? You knew better than anybody what that might mean."

Sighing, he rubbed his free hand down his face, smearing the dirt and blood together. "I wasn't going to ask anyone to take a position that I wouldn't take myself."

DG shook her head. "No, that can't be all of it. You're the Troop Commander, you don't have to prove yourself. These men would follow you off the face of the planet. So how about the real reason? You shouldn't have been down there as the highest ranking officer. Tell me why you went to the front."

Cain tore his eyes away from hers, focusing on the man in front of them. "Maybe I just wanted to make sure I got in a few shots of my own."

"Got a few shots in? What does that mean?"

He grit his teeth, his voice a near growl. "It means that I wanted to take a shot at the bastards who tried to kill you and my son. And the best place for that was at the front."

The Queen's eyes widened and she turned her body to face him, their clasped hands between them. "So you risked your life on the off chance that you might be able to get a little revenge?"

"It wasn't like that—"

"It was exactly like that! You disregarded everyone that counts on you, me included, so that you could settle a score."

"Deeg, I couldn't let their attack stand!"

"We're not letting it stand, we're sending a brigade to retaliate! There was no reason for you to endanger yourself, regardless of what happened to me or Jeb." She sighed and ducked her head so that she could catch his eyes. "You spend so much time worrying about me and lecturing me on being careful, that you didn't take the time to think that maybe you are just as important."

Cain held her gaze for a minute before looking away. "I don't really know what to say to that."

"Doesn't surprise me that you haven't thought about it before. Just be more careful. Here's a new rule for you to follow: if _I_ shouldn't do it, then _you_ shouldn't do it." She squeezed his hand again before releasing it entirely. Reaching up, she took his hat off her head and put it in its rightful place. "This country needs its Troop Commander just as much as it needs its Queen."

He reached up and ran his fingers across the brim. "I'll try to be more careful. Now, come on, we need to figure out what our strategy will be for tomorrow."

She shook her head. "Don't worry about that, I've got it covered."

"You what now? You've got it covered?"

"That's right. I can get us through those gates. All I need you to do is gather up the explosives you need to blow the doors."

"Deeg, what in the world are you talking about?"

"Cain, just get the explosives. Come get me right before the suns set and I'll explain everything. Until then, though, I've got work to do here."

His eyes went out over the rows of corpses, waiting patiently for a final burial. Even though most of the dead were still on the battlefield, there was still no shortage of bodies. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," she said quietly, facing the front once again. "This is just something I need to do. Get me when the suns set."

"Okay. When the suns set." He leaned over and kissed her temple before climbing to his feet and silently leaving. As soon as the tent flap closed, she doused the rag in water and reverently started cleaning the blood and dirt from the first soldier's skin.

She was finishing up with the last body when Cain returned. He entered quietly and stood by the flap, waiting patiently for her to be done. DG took the man's hands and folded them over his chest, saying another prayer to Ozma. She had been praying so much in the past couple of days, she was half convinced that she should join the clergy. When she finally climbed to her feet, all of her joints cracked in protest, drawing a wince from her. Even she could have taken a small break to stretch once in a while. She would keep that in mind for later.

DG squinted when she finally emerged from the tent into world outside. The suns were setting, the black veil of night slowly creeping downward as the pinpoints of stars began to wink on. If there wasn't a war going on, she would be tempted to camp outside one night and just lay out, staring at the stars like she used to do as a kid. She made a note to try and work that out in the future—she couldn't spend the rest of her life in Central City (or even Finaqua) without going insane.

Half way to the command tent, Cain spoke. "Are you going to tell me what your plan is to get to the gates?"

"Maybe; have you got all the explosives you'd need?"

"Yes. Though I don't know what good they're going to do, since we'd have to be right in front of the doors to set them properly."

"I told you not to worry about that, I can get us there."

He grabbed her elbow and stopped her in the middle of camp. "How? No more games, DG, what way could you possibly have to get us to the main access point of a heavily guarded installation?"

She frowned and pulled her arm away from him. She then waved a hand in front of his face, leaving small ghostly wisps trailing from her fingers. "Toto did teach me how to make mist."

Cain's eyes widened before darting across the battlefield, quickly assessing its length and width. "Can you do that?"

She shrugged. "I don't see why not. I'll admit that this is going to be a bit more difficult. I mean, before, it was only an ankle high mist in the gardens. But so that the longcoats think that this is natural and don't get too alarmed, I have to make it cover the entire field, as well as being high enough to easily cover us and our movements."

"Thus camouflaging us and allowing us to get right up to the doors to set the charges." He nodded thoughtfully. "It could work. I can get in there quickly, set the explosives and go."

DG bit her lip. He wasn't going to like this. "I need to go with you."

Cain stared at her. "Like hell you do. You're staying here."

"No, that's not going to work. I'm going to be honest with you Cain, while I think I can do it, I don't know how big a drain this is going to be on me. For all I know, I'll pass out half way through it and the mist will dissipate instantly, leaving you exposed. If I go with you, I can not only make the mist thicker in the areas that we're in, but I can also let you know if I'm losing control so we can get out of there."

Cain turned away from her, sighing. Taking her arm once again, he nearly dragged her out of the camp and into her tent, away from everyone else. Once they were alone, he spun her around to face him. "Deeg, I don't want you out there. It's too dangerous."

"But not for you?" He frowned and opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him off. "No. Wyatt, we need to blow open those gates, or we're never going to pass those walls. And this is the best way to do it. I'm sorry, but we have no other options. Not if we want to make this quick."

The Troop Commander sighed and glanced away from her. After several agonizing seconds of contemplation he asked, "If we were in trouble, would you be able to make a shield?"

"I don't know. If our cover was blown and the jig was up, I would drop the mist entirely and focus on a shield. But if you're just getting skittish and want me to have a shield in addition to the mist. . .I don't know. I'm not sure I can sustain the mist that long as it is, I have no idea how a shield would affect the drain."

"So we would be walking out there unprotected, in the hopes that the longcoats are too lax to notice footsteps approaching their gates?"

"Actually, I figured once we started out, we would get the men to start cheering and laughing and carrying on like they're having a party. Their noise would bounce off the walls and hopefully mask any disturbance we make."

Cain's eyes returned to her, scanning her hopeful, but determined face. She knew what she was risking, knew all the ways that this plan could go wrong. But she was still ready to go out there and try it, because it might mean saving more lives. And wasn't that what war was to a good leader? Achieving the desired result with the fewest casualties possible?

"Okay. We'll give it a try. But you have to be completely honest with me and let me know the _instant_ that you start getting fatigued. If you're handling a spell that big, it can't be very predictable."

DG couldn't stop the grin. "Great. Once the suns are all the way down, I'm going to start bringing in the mist. It's probably going to take me a little while to cover the whole field, since it needs to be gradual to look natural. Until then, lets go talk to the colonels, make sure they know the plan so they can keep their men riled up at the right time."

At first, the colonels all agreed with the plan, thought it was a brilliant idea. But then when they found out that Cain and DG were going to be the ones going out into the field, they began protesting and trying to convince them to let anybody else go. But since DG was irreplaceable on this one and Cain refused to let her go without him, it was all pointless. Besides, the colonels had little time to try and convince them otherwise because soon the suns were down and DG needed to get started.

The Queen, undeterred from her plan, left the tent, dragging a chair behind her. She didn't know how long this was going to take her, so she was going to sit while doing it. The chair was suddenly taken from her and she spun to see Norris now holding it and carrying it to a place overlooking the field.

"Thank you, Norris," she said. "You didn't have to do that though, I can carry my own chair."

"I know you can, My Lady, but that still doesn't mean you have too." He set it down, wedging the legs firmly in the soft soil. Then he turned and faced her. "Please reconsider your plan. Or at least let me come with you."

DG sighed and shook her head. "I can't. I have to be there, or whoever goes out there is going to be vulnerable. And the fewer people that goes the better—it'll be less I have to keep track of. I'm sorry, but for once you're going to have to let me do this."

"And if you die while I am not there to protect you?"

The Queen didn't know what to say, didn't know how to ease his fears. "Then I die. But I will die doing something that must be done so that order can be restored to the O.Z. You are a good man, Norris. I couldn't ask for a better bodyguard. But this time, I'm afraid, I have to go without you." Impulsively, she leaned forward and hugged him. "I'll be alright. Honest."

After a moment's hesitation, Norris's tree-trunk arms went around her, swallowing her frame. "As long as you are careful, My Lady. I would hate to face your mother should anything happen to you."

DG laughed and pulled away, swatting at his arm. "So, this is all to preserve your own hide! I see how it is." She grinned and plopped down on the chair. After a moment, she shed her jacket, revealing her pale blue shirt. She handed it and her circlet to Norris. "Hold on to those for me. Let Cain know we should get rid of anything shiny or especially dark, if possible." Once he nodded, she turned back towards the field and called on her magic.

Agonizingly slow, white tendrils of mist began to creep across the ground, beginning with the trees on the north side. It rolled over bodies and dipped into foxholes, slithered between the grasses and flew over the dirt. It started out barely a foot high, but quickly began to rise, puffing out and climbing with each foot gained across the field. The mist appeared patchy at first, as if it would evaporate at the slightest breath of air. But as it rose higher and higher, it grew denser as well, filling out. Its claws scratched at the walls and gates of the manor, reaching nearly to the ramparts themselves. After almost half an hour of gradual growth, the mist stretched from one side of the field to the other, completely shielding the ground in an opaque shroud of white.

DG kept half her mind focused on the magic as she stood up. The spell wasn't so hard to initiate, but it was hard to control and keep going. The pitch in her ears was at a mid-range frequency, letting her know she was okay for now, but they needed to get moving if they hoped to finish their task before her magic drained completely. Turning, she saw half the camp behind her, Cain, Norris and the colonels at their head. Most were staring in awe at the covered field. "We've got to go," she said.

Cain nodded and stepped forward. Most of his trademark clothing pieces were gone: his duster and vest were missing, as were his hat, holster and belt. All that was left were his khaki pants and light shirt. Over one shoulder was a canvas bag, packed tight with explosives for the door. "Then let's go. They'll wait a few minutes while we get into the mist and then they'll start the party."

"Sounds good." They both started down the hill and towards the field then, leaving the rest of the men behind. Before they reached the wall of mist, Cain reached over and grabbed her hand within his own, lacing their fingers together.

"Let me go first and try to stay behind me. Since visibility is so low, I don't want you to end up breaking your leg in a foxhole." She gave him a look, but he was serious. "When we get to the gates, I'm going to have to let go of your hand to set the charges. Stay where you are, I'll find you. And remember, the second you think we should leave, let me know and we'll get out of there."

She squeezed his hand to let him know she understood. The less talking she did at the moment, the better—it took some of her attention away from the spell. With a tug on her hand, they entered the mist and disappeared from view.

They moved as quickly and as quietly as they could, but it wasn't easy. A few feet was as far as their eyes could see in the mist. DG would have tried to make it more patchy in front of them, but she was afraid that it would affect other areas of the mist and she didn't want to take a chance. Luckily, it also muffled the noise they made, so the party—which was in full swing—should be more than enough to hide their passage. Cain tried to keep as straight a line as possible, but they would occasionally have to weave around holes or bodies stretched out over the road. DG tried not to look at them as she passed; she couldn't risk getting distracted.

Once they got close to the gates, Cain slowed down, putting more of an emphasis on moving quietly now. DG focused her magic on making the mist even denser above their heads, preventing any longcoat from spotting them. The added cover came at a price though and the pitch in DG's ears increased.

A tug at her hand brought her attention back to Cain, who was staring at her in concern. Unable to talk for fear of alerting the enemy, she weakly smiled at him, encouraging him to continue. Doubtful, he nodded and dropped her hand. '_Stay there,_' he mouthed, pointing at the ground. She rolled her eyes, but did as she was told. Cain disappeared into the mist, reaching into the bag of explosives as he went.

DG stood quietly, turning all of her attention onto the mist. Without being able to see the field, it was hard to tell how other portions were faring, if the edges were beginning to fade or if parts of the field were losing their density. She couldn't just reinforce the spell though, because she couldn't risk the extra drain, not when they were feet from the gates. She could hear the footsteps of the longcoats over her head as they patrolled the ramparts.

"Damn mist." She craned her neck, expecting to see the longcoat that spoke. But she only saw a wall of white. "I'll bet you this is the work of that Gale whore." She bristled at the name, suddenly tempted to expend just a bit more magic to set his pants on fire. It would only take a smidgen. . .

"Why would she do that? They can't get over the walls or through the gates, so why make a mist?" Another longcoat was apparently playing devil's advocate. And they were talking almost directly over her head.

"Maybe so they could sneak up to the gates and get a good look at them. Let me fire some rounds down there, see if anyone's there." She tensed and raised a hand, prepared to put all of her energy into a shield if she had to.

"Don't be stupid. Why waste the bullets? We'd hear them if an entire battalion was sneaking up to the doors."

"How could you, with them over there making all that noise? You'd think they'd just won the battle, not lost half their men."

"Who cares why they do anything. Maybe they're celebrating their last day in the O.Z before we kill them all tomorrow. Look, just keep patrolling and maybe this mist will dissipate enough for us to see something." DG struck by the sudden fear of being discovered when they were so close, reinforced the mist. She closed her eyes and sent her magic out, strengthening every foot. The ringing in her head increased dramatically with the added strain. They needed to get out. Now.

Opening her eyes though, Cain was no where to be found. She couldn't call for him, couldn't do anything to let him know their time was running out. But she wasn't leaving without him. A whimper escaped her and she clamped a hand over her mouth as soon as it did, eyes wide.

"What was that?" The longcoats must have heard her. Her heart was thundering in her ears as she stared upwards.

Long moments passed before the other longcoat spoke. "Nothing. Probably just a weird echo from the army. Come on, back to work."

DG lowered her hand, breathing a sigh of relief. Cain suddenly appeared, the empty bag over his shoulder. '_You okay?_' he mouthed.

She shook her head—the pitch was getting painful and she didn't think she could hold on much longer. Cain instantly grabbed her hand and started leading her away from the manor and back towards camp. DG closed her eyes, focusing entirely on the mist and shrouding their position, well within range of their guns. She started to cut back on the edges, hoping that the reduction in area would help. It did next to nothing though. Her breath was growing more ragged with every step and every step grew less confident. She stumbled and Cain dropped back, pulling her against his side as they hurried along. She could feel the tension in his body, feel his anxiety.

There wasn't anything she could do though. She held onto the spell as long as she could, well aware of how much danger they would be in if she let it go too soon. The pitch grew and grew as a headache blossomed in her skull. She whimpered again and Cain's arm tightened around her. "Hold on, Sweetheart," he whispered. "Just a little farther."

She tried. She really did. But the spell was too complicated for her to hold onto for much longer. Blood started to drip from her nose, staining her shirt. The pitch became unbearable. With nothing else to do, her body overrode her mind. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed.

* * *

It was the explosion that woke her up.

The ground quaked, the sides of the tent shaking with each convulsion. DG shot up in surprise and tumbled to the ground, her legs tangled in the sheets. Disoriented and still half-asleep, she struggled to free herself and run out of the tent, barefoot and still wearing her stained shirt. She shoved the flap aside and hurried out. A strangled gasp behind her told her that Norris was right on her heels, now up from his post of guarding her sleep.

Colonel Zahn was standing next to Major Knight, looking out over the field. The gates in the distance were billowing black smoke and men were pouring between the blasted metal into the manor. Zahn shook his head. "We lost quite a few men in that blast, they were too close to the charges. Those in front were either flung aside like dolls or incinerated."

"Too eager," agreed Knight.

DG, breathing hard, stalked up to them. "What the hell is going on?"

Zahn and Knight spun around in shock. "Your Majesty! We did not know you were awake."

"Well, I am. Now someone tell me what the hell is going on!"

Neither Zahn nor Knight seemed particularly eager to tell her they went ahead with the attack without her. So Norris cleared his throat and stepped forward. "My Lady, while you were unconscious, Commander Cain organized the attack for today. He, along with Colonels Card, Scalzi and Abercrombie, led their battalions to the manor, setting off the charges when they were close enough. Since we could not tell when you would awaken, the Commander decided to launch the attack after first light."

DG's eyes slid around her, noting the decrease in men before the gates, as well as hearing the sporadic gunfire and shouts emanating from behind the walls. "And where is Cain right now?"

Norris held her eyes, the slightest tinge of sympathy passing across them. "He led the attack this morning, so he could trigger the explosives."

Her expression didn't change at first. Just stared at him in incomprehension. Her mind went back to what Zahn had said before he knew she was there—'_we lost quite a few men in that blast.'_ Cain would be at the front. And right now, it was more than probable that he was dead.

Her lips parted in a silent gasp, her eyes widening as reality crashed into her. Her toes dug into the loose soil beneath her feet, grasping for something to hold onto. Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palms, leaving little crescents of blood.

Quickly, Norris grabbed her arm and spun her around, taking her back into the tent. He firmly pushed her into a chair and then crouched before her. "The Commander is fine. Just because we think he was at the front, does not mean he was killed in the blast."

DG shook her head. "No. You heard Zahn. Cain would be at the front, which means he might have been _incinerated_." Her voice was a breath of horror on the last word, unwilling and unable to comprehend just what that meant for her.

"But we don't know that." Norris's voice was strong and unyielding, but still laced with understanding. "We don't know anything for sure other than the gates were blown and that some of the men were killed."

"But—"

"No." Now his voice changed, lost its sympathy and grew a hard-edge. "I know what this is doing to you. But you still have a job to do. No matter what has or has not happened to him, you still have to deal with these longcoats. You still have to be Queen. You can mourn later, but for now, you have to rule."

She sniffled and covered her face with her hands. After a couple of long moments, she took a deep, stuttering breath and then wiped at her eyes. Inside, she was a wreck, but on the outside, she was impassive and composed: a Queen. "Give me a minute, please. I need to change and then I'll be out."

Norris examined her face before nodding. He patted her shoulder as he rose, then left her alone. DG's eyes stayed in the place he had vacated. Sitting on the table was Cain's fedora. She felt her resolve break before she turned and went back into her section of the tent. Methodically, she changed into a fresh set of clothes. She pulled on her boots and combed out her hair before braiding it away from her face. The last step was to place her circlet on her head. She didn't think she had hated a piece of metal quite so much before that moment. But she took it anyway and then walked out of the tent.

The rest of the men were waiting patiently for her. Fourth battalion was armed and ready, Colonel Zahn at its head. "Your Majesty, our troops have signaled us that they have taken the manor and captured the leaders of the longcoats."

Her eyes went to the field, where her standard was flying atop the walls. There was no one in front of the gates. . .no one alive, that is. "Are you sure? That happened rather quickly once we breeched the walls."

"I do not think they were expecting us to be able to penetrate their defenses. And the signal was just that they had captured the main leadership, not that the entire town was cleared out."

She nodded. "Very well. I wish to go and speak with our new prisoners."

"My Lady, I do not think—"

"Now."

Zahn stiffened his back. "Of course. Since we do not have the town fully secured, I would recommend you shielding yourself, if you are able."

A flash of gold was his only response, before DG started out to the field. Norris and her guards surrounded her, Colonel Zahn at her elbow and Fourth battalion marching steadily behind them. She kept her eyes straight and her steps confident. More importantly, she kept her emotions in lockdown, hidden away until she could have the time to weep in private.

They passed the gates, walking through blackened metal that was peeled away as if by a giant's paws. Four men guarding the inside saluted, then pointed the way to the main manor. Half of Fourth battalion spread out into the streets, helping with the sweep of the town, while the other half spread out along the lane, with their queen at the center. They could still hear the occasional bursts of gunfire echoing through the streets, but none came close to their current position.

DG ignored it all, concentrating solely on the route laid before her. When they finally reached the main house at the top of a hill, she walked purposefully through the doors and into the main hall. Surrounded by guards led by Colonel Card, five longcoats sat in the middle of the room, their arms bound behind their backs and more than a few bruises blooming on their faces. Clearly, they had put up a fight.

As soon as she walked into view, the leader of the longcoat's expression turned into a sneer. It was the same man she had spoken to on the ramparts before they first attacked. "Well, if it isn't the Gale whore."

One of the guards stepped forward and smacked him across the face with the butt of his rifle. The longcoat's head snapped to the side as blood splattered across the floor. DG didn't say anything, just crossed her arms over her chest. The longcoat snorted and turned his eyes back to her, blood dribbling down his chin from a split lip. "Torturing prisoners not above you then, Queenie?"

The guard raised his gun again, but DG held up a hand, stalling him. "I told you when we first spoke that I would not tolerate any violence against my men, many of which are now injured. I also told you that I would not be quite so accommodating the next time we met. This is the next time. I could care less about your well-being right now."

The Queen's voice had fallen to a deadly pitch, no-nonsense and unemotional. Her hard eyes bored into him and the sneer and laughter fell from his face slowly, wiped away by her cold demeanor. This wasn't the Queen Dorothy that the O.Z. loved and worshiped. This wasn't even the same Dorothy that stood at the gates less than two days ago. This was a different woman, hardened by battle and loss. And he was afraid of her. "What are you going to do with us?"

"I haven't decided yet," she said, tapping her foot against the cold marble floor. "I guess it all depends on you and how cooperative you are. You can help me by telling me where your troops are—both inside these walls and outside—or you can spend the rest of your pitiful life in solitary confinement. You can help me by telling me what you have done with the innocent bystanders of this village or you can lose your life altogether."

DG kept her voice neutral as she named his choices like a grocery list. To be honest, she wasn't sure she could go through with her threats. Yes, she was angry enough, heartbroken enough, but to order someone's death? That was a step she wasn't sure she was ready for. But it didn't matter whether she could make that decision or not. All that did matter was that the longcoat thought she would make it. And make it easily.

He glanced from side to side, looking for help from his friends, but they kept their eyes fixed on the Queen. Swallowing against a dry throat, he lifted his chin. "You wouldn't."

One eyebrow raised. "You killed dozens, if not hundreds of good, honest men that I care for in this battle. You think I wouldn't do it? Then I welcome you to take the chance on my good nature."

Uncertain eyes studied her, looking for any indication she was lying. But over the past couple of months, DG had perfected her poker face and there was no telling what she was thinking. When he didn't say anything after nearly a minute, she shrugged and raised her hand, opening her mouth to call to the guards.

"Wait!"

She paused and turned back to the longcoat, his face no longer composed, his eyes on the edge of panic. "Yes?"

His wrists turned in the bindings, rubbing raw against the shackles. "I'll help, alright? Just don't do anything yet, give me a chance!"

DG lowered her hand and smiled. "As you wish. You've made the right choice. Let's hope your information is worth it." She nodded at Colonel Card. "Oversee the interrogation. Report to me with your findings." He saluted his acceptance, but DG had already turned and was walking out of the room, her guards on her heels. She didn't want anything else to do with them, not if she could help it.

Once outside, she stopped and leaned her shoulder against the wall. She felt so drained at that moment. The shield had barely dug into her restored magic, so that wasn't it. She hadn't over-exerted herself. No, she was emotionally drained. All she wanted was to crawl into bed and hide from the world for a while.

"My Lady?" Norris was at her elbow, eyes concerned. "Are you alright?"

She waved him off. "I just need a minute, Norris. Then we can go check on the progress of the rest of the troops."

He hesitated but sighed in agreement. "Of course. Whenever you are ready."

She was never going to be ready, not really. But in a minute, she might be slightly more focused, slightly more stable, slightly more functional. That's what she hoped for at least. Angry tears prickled her eyes and she swiped at them in frustration. She shouldn't be this vulnerable right now. It was astonishing how one person could change her entire life and then upend it when they died. She hardly understood herself at the moment—floating from anger to despair in a heartbeat. She shouldn't even be _allowed_ to make decisions right now, she was so unpredictable. But none of that mattered. The facts were that she was Queen, Cain was dead and she had work to do. Case closed.

"You okay, Highness?"

DG nearly snapped her neck, her head twisted around so fast. Striding up the path, as hale as Lazarus from the tomb was Wyatt Cain. His skin was coated with sweat and grime, his clothes ripped and sprayed with blood, his concerned eyes tired. But he was very much alive.

She lost control of her body in that moment. A small part of her wanted to faint in shock. A much larger, dominant part wanted to make sure that he was actually there and not a cruel joke of her imagination. Her legs started running, carrying her to him. She nearly leapt into his arms, her own arms going around his neck and burying her face in his neck. He dropped the rifle he had been holding and hugged her back, his embrace just as fierce as hers. She was crying with relief, her fingers clenched in his shirt, unwilling to let go. But that wasn't enough for her. So she pulled back just enough to grab his face and kiss him.

Cain froze for the barest of moments before he responded to her, one arm tightening around her waist while the other went into her hair, holding her head in place. Their lips fused together, perfectly matched in their disparities: dry and cracked meeting lush and full. They moved seamlessly together, neither willing to concede to the need for air.

Lungs burning and lips wonderfully bruised, DG pulled away from Cain, but kept her arms around him. His beautiful eyes were seeing through her and she felt tears gather—she now realized how much of a hell life would have been without him. "I thought you were dead," she whispered.

He shook his head, one hand rising to wipe away her tears. "I said I would always come back to you, Sweetheart. I meant it."

Not that she wanted to ruin the moment, but her curiosity was getting the better of her. "But how, how are you here? Zahn said that the blast killed all those at the front of the lines, that they were too close."

"You're assuming I was at the front." At her confused look, he smiled and wrapped both his arms around her again, pulling her flush against his body. "Let's just say I'm taking into account the wishes of my Queen in being safer. After all, this country needs its Troop Commander."

She stared at him for a moment before she full out laughed. Then she leaned forward and kissed him again. It wasn't until Norris discretely cleared his throat that she pulled back and hid her face in Cain's chest, her cheeks on fire. She had forgotten that they were in the middle of a street. In fact, about half a battalion had just seen her first attack, then make out with her Troop Commander. If that wasn't fodder for the rumor mill, she didn't know what was.

"How are our prisoners doing?" She could feel his voice rumbling through his chest. Definitely a feeling she could get used to.

"Very well, sir," Norris replied. "They were very forthcoming after Queen Dorothy spoke with them. And the rest of your men?"

"They are finishing cleaning out the city. We've gathered up all the villagers we could find and most of them appear fine—a little bruised and frightened, but nothing too serious."

"That is good to hear." He stepped closer and DG raised her head from Cain's chest to look at her bodyguard. "My Lady, perhaps you would like to retire to your tent? Everything is under control here and you have had a rather. . .emotional, day so far."

Didn't she know it. "Thanks, Norris, but I'm okay now. In fact, I'd like to go see these villagers, let them know that everything will be fine now." She turned her eyes up to Cain's. "What do you think?"

He smiled. "I think that would be a great idea. I'll go with you."

"Even better." She grinned at Norris and then let Cain lead her into the village, towards the place where they were holding the villagers. Her first battle was over with and she had managed to come out on top, despite the losses. She considered the man walking next to her and licked her abused lips. Yes, there was no doubt in her mind that she had won today.

* * *

**Yikes. So that was entirely too long. I was moments from splitting it up into two pieces, but I figured that my readers are simply the best and I couldn't do that to you. That, and I promised some of you some Cain/DG action **_**finally**_**. And who am I to go back on a promise? So here it is in one huge chunk. **

**Things to mention: the quote this time is once again from Shakespeare, but now from **_**Julius Caesar**_**. I couldn't resist. As for the colonels, some of you knew who I was talking about, which made me happy! Zahn, of course, is for Timothy Zahn, who I believe writes Star Wars better than George Lucas. Card is for Orson Scott Card, naturally (Duke Wiggin was also a reference to Card, named after Ender Wiggin). Scalzi is for John Scalzi, one of the best sci-fi writers out there (I highly recommend his book **_**Old Man's War**_**). And Abercrombie is not a reference to the store, but to Joe Abercrombie, whose fantasy books **_**The First Law series**_** is great. Ahh, and Major Knight, who appeared in this part is for E.E. Knight—I love his **_**Vampire Earth**_** series. -cough- You know, in case any of you are looking for any book suggestions, there they are. Hehe.**

**I can't really think of a whole lot to say about this piece, surprisingly. I had some issues with character motivations and reactions throughout, but I think it all worked out okay. Hopefully the fighting and all of that is believable. I have to say that I'm a bit emotionally drained right now though! I mean sheesh, a lot happened here! I need a break. Which will probably be one day for me before I start writing the next part. Great. Speaking of which, I'm pretty sure the next part is going to be a bit angsty as well and then the part after that will be very fluffy. I'm very excited for that chapter actually. -grins-**

**So, I hope you all enjoyed it and that it was well worth the wait. Please let me know what you think, I love all feedback and encourage constructive criticism! You guys are truly amazing. Until next time!**


	9. The First Inspection

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. Apologies on the delay at the bottom. This is another long one, I just can't shut up! This one is dedicated to Celia Stanton, because even though she had the idea first, she still told me to write my own version.**

* * *

"You have to be joking."

"I'm completely serious. This would be the perfect time. We're in the neighborhood, so let's drop on by."

"Stopping by a nobleman's house unannounced is considered rude."

"Stop sounding like one of my advisors. I warned him that I was going to stop by at some point and it might be without warning. And I don't want to give him time to prepare if he isn't living up to my standards."

"What about security? We haven't had time to scout the perimeter and make sure that it is safe for you."

"You do realize we just came from a battlefield, don't you? As long as they aren't trying to shoot me or blow me up, I'd think this is a step in the right direction. It'll be fine. Besides, we've still got at least a battalion's worth of healthy men here, I doubt he'd try anything if he decided not to cooperate."

"Nothing I say to you is going to change your mind, is it?"

"Nope."

"You're impossible."

"Yep. But you put up with me anyway."

Cain grumbled and turned away from DG, approaching the gathered colonels. The temporary camp of the Royal Army ballooned out around them, filled with injured and healthy men alike, all anxious to get home and see their loved ones. After several days of flushing out all of the longcoats and helping to establish a new order of sorts in the manor among the villagers, DG finally decided that her work for the time being was done. So they had gathered up their supplies and wounded, mourned the buried dead and then began the trek home.

The thing was, the journey home passed close to the Black Mountains. And DG, in a sudden urge to check on some of her wayward subjects, decided that now was as good a time as any to drop in on Duke Wiggin, the man responsible for the Moratanium mines that she had reprimanded on her first day of rule. Once Cain was reluctantly on board with her plan, they split up their men—the injured and half of the healthy men would continue on to Central City; the rest would remain with DG and her guards.

Next to her, Norris cleared his throat. "My Lady, surely there is a better way of checking on Duke Wiggin than coming by unannounced."

DG gave him a look. "Norris, if Cain couldn't convince me to change my mind, what makes you think you could?"

He sighed. "It is a vain hope, I know. Perhaps I thought that more than one dissenting opinion would sway you."

She snorted and turned her eyes to the camp, watching the men beginning to pack up and split into two separate caravans. "Please. My entire staff is nothing but dissenting opinions. If that were the case I would have stayed home and planned a party or something rather than march off to war." She shrugged. "You would think they would have gotten used to an Other Side Queen at this point and stopped asking me pointless questions. You've gotten the hang of it, after all."

Norris shook his head. "On the contrary, My Lady. I just hide my bewilderment better."

DG laughed. "Well then. They need to learn the art of the poker face from you. Come on, let's help. If we leave soon I think we can make Wiggin's place by midday."

Wish granted, DG's company arrived at Duke Wiggin's village not long after the suns' pinnacle. Houses butted against the mountains, leaving a clear path to the mine in the creases of the black giants. Set apart from the simple dwellings though was the Duke's house, hiding behind its own wall. Despite the loud commotion her men had made, no one seemed to be present to greet them. The manor was quiet and those not currently in the mines seemed to be minding their own business and uninterested in visitors.

Except for the children of course. What appeared to be a rousing game of tag suddenly spilled into the main street out of a side street. Half a dozen screaming, running children tumbled to the ground before picking themselves up and sprinting down the road. Until they caught sight of the imposing group of soldiers, at which point they all stopped in their tracks and stared.

DG glanced behind her and rolled her eyes. Each of the men were brandishing a weapon of some kind and were standing at attention. Their skin was streaked with dirt, their uniforms torn and their eyes were sharply scanning the surroundings. No wonder the kids stopped, they were probably terrified.

Smiling broadly and keeping her hands visible, she took a few steps forward. "Hey there," she said. The kids kept staring at her, but didn't move. Though the kids were all clothed, it looked like the garments had seen better days. Only a few of them wore shoes. If this was Wiggin's doing, there was going to be hell to pay. She took a few more steps and crouched down in front of them. "My name's DG. What's yours?"

One of the little girls with a mop of curly brown hair took the lead and spoke up. "I'm Nithra."

"Well, hi, Nithra. Where are your shoes? You shouldn't run around without them, you could hurt yourself."

Nithra scuffed her toe in the dirt. "That's what my mommy says too. But I don't like them, I can't run as fast with them on."

DG laughed. "That's a good reason. You know what, I used to run around without shoes too. But then one day, I stepped on a rusty nail and it hurt a lot. Your mommy just wants to make sure you're safe and don't step on any nails. So how about you try and wear them from now on, okay?"

Nithra seemed to consider this for a minute. "Alright." She paused and her green eyes slid up to the top of DG's head. "What are you wearing?"

The Queen touched her head and felt the gold wire. "It's called a circlet. Do you want to wear it?" Nithra nodded and DG reached up and took the circlet, settling it on Nithra's curls. It slid lopsidedly over one of her eyes, a bit too big. DG grinned. "Perfect. Why don't you hold onto that for me for a while?" The little girl grinned and nodded. "Do you think you can show me where your mommy is? I'd like to talk to her."

"Sure!" Nithra grabbed DG's hand and pulled. "We live a couple houses down."

DG reached out and picked Nithra up, easily settling her on her hip. "You can show me. But not another step until we find those shoes, hmm?" Nithra pouted, but the circlet fell further over her face, ruining the expression. DG bit her lip, trying not to laugh as she turned to face the men, who had all stood and quietly watched the exchange. "Am I going by myself, or are you coming?"

Cain nodded at Norris and her personal guard to step forward, ordering the rest of the men to camp beyond the perimeter. Once the Royal Army had begun to set themselves up, he turned and caught up to DG. "You just make friends wherever you go, don't you?"

She grinned at him, unaware of the picture she made with a child on her hip. "It's a special talent. Besides, children are more honest than anyone else. I'm sure I can trust Nithra here, can't I?" She bounced exaggeratedly and the child giggled, winding her arms around DG's neck. "Tell me Nithra, what do you think of Duke Wiggin?"

Nithra scrunched her nose up. "He's okay, I guess. He kind of smells though." DG laughed and even Cain chuckled. "He used to be real mean. He made daddy work a lot and I didn't see him much. But then the new Queen talked to him and he's been nicer since then. Daddy has time to play with me a lot more now."

DG nodded, pleased. It seemed like Wiggin had taken her threat to heart and really turned around. "I'm glad. Now, is this your house here?"

Nithra turned her head and nodded vigorously. "Yep! You can come in! _Mommy!_" She screamed the last word, inadvertently right in DG's ear. The Queen winced and turned her head away. '_Ow,'_ she mouthed, making Cain chuckle.

The door to the small cabin opened, revealing a sturdy woman drying her hands on an apron. "Nithra, what in the world—" She gasped and suddenly dropped to her knees. "Queen Dorothy!"

DG hurried forward, placing a hand at the woman's elbow to help her up. "Please, none of that. I'm sorry for dropping in unexpectedly, but little Nithra here was a big help and I wanted to ask you a few questions, if I may?"

The woman, who appeared absolutely dumbfounded by the appearance of the Queen, stammered a reply. "O-o-of course, Your Majesty. Please, come in!" She stepped aside, letting DG pass by. Cain followed her, but the rest of the guards stayed outside. The woman then started flitting around the small kitchen like a startled hummingbird, wiping down the table, putting away dishes, clearing away the remains of lunch. "Please excuse the mess, Your Majesty. Can I offer you anything to drink or eat?"

"Oh, no thank you, I'm fine. Please, don't bother with me, I'll be out of your hair quickly."

"It's no bother, Your Majesty, I promise." Her green eyes slid to her daughter, still held by the Queen and she gasped. "Nithra! What are you wearing?!"

The little girl grinned and patted her head. "I'm holding onto DG's circlet for her!"

The Queen smiled. "Your daughter is nice enough to watch it for me while I am here." She carefully set the little girl on the ground. "Why don't you grab your shoes and go back to your friends so I can talk to your mommy, okay?"

Nithra turned to run into her room, but paused. "Will I see you again?"

DG knelt and hugged the little girl. "Of course you will. I have to get my circlet back, don't I?"

"Right!" The little girl disappeared for a moment, then clomped out the door in her shoes, golden circlet shining amid her mass of curls.

Smiling, DG sank into a rickety wooden chair. "She's a charming girl. Fearless."

The woman nodded, distractedly tying her graying hair behind her head. "That she is. Every inch her father's daughter. What can I do for you, Your Majesty?"

DG folded her hands before her. "I would like to ask you a few questions about Duke Wiggin, if I may. . .um, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know your name."

"Oh, of course! Where are my manners? I am Sani. Please, ask me anything and I will do my best to answer your questions."

"Great. Please be honest with me, I can promise you that this will stay between us. Nithra said that Wiggin changed a couple of months ago and became nicer. Would you agree?"

"Oh yes. It was right after your Coronation, I believe. He returned and ordered the mines closed for a week, at which point there would be a new schedule. He shared the manor stores with the entire village in a big feast and made arrangements to supplement the leather and cloth supplies so that we could make more clothes and shoes. He has become a just ruler in a short amount of time."

DG couldn't help the satisfied smirk that came onto her face. "And the mines? How does your husband find the conditions?"

Sani shrugged. "They are alright I guess. No mine is an ideal workplace. But now that the men are allowed more time off, things have gotten better. I would recommend asking one of the miners, they would be able to give you a better answer."

"Good idea, I'll have to do that." She felt her eyes drawn to the window, where she could see a corner of Wiggin's manor. "Where is the Duke? I would have expected him to come and see what all the fuss was about."

The woman sighed. "Though he has made the conditions much better, he also has retreated into his house more and more. He rarely comes down to the mines, choosing instead to send others in his place."

"Well, guess we all couldn't get an A, now could we?" At Sani's confused look, DG waved her hand. "Nevermind. I'll have to have a little chat with him over that. Now though, I think I'm going to take a trip to the mines."

"You're joking."

DG turned in her chair to face Cain, who had remained standing against the wall. "Excuse me?"

"You are not going into the mines. It's too dangerous."

She rolled her eyes. "Did we not just have this same conversation this morning? The past _week_ has been dangerous, what with people trying to kill us and all that. This, this is a cake walk. I'm going to be fine, Cain. Stop worrying."

"You are never _fine_. Trouble finds you like a Papay runner."

"Yeah, well, considering you're always shadowing me, maybe _you're_ the one that trouble finds. Ever think about that?" At his look, she huffed in frustration. "Fine! It's me, I get it! I'm still going in those mines though, you can't stop me." She turned back to face Sani, who was watching the entire exchange open-mouthed, unsure what to make of the fact that the Queen was arguing with the Troop Commander in her kitchen. "Is your husband in the mines right now?"

Sani cleared her throat. "Yes, Josek is there. He will be happy to help you any way that he can."

DG stood, pushing back her chair. "I'll go find him then. Thank you so much for your hospitality. Again, I'm sorry for dropping in on you like this. If you don't mind, I'd like to come by later to say good-bye to Nithra."

"Of course, Your Majesty. She'll be waiting for you."

"Great. Until later then!" She waved and left the house, immediately starting down the lane towards the mines. Her guard dutifully followed behind her and Cain hurried to her side.

"I wish you wouldn't do this."

"I know. But I have to talk to some of the miners and get their take on things."

"Why can't you talk to them once they come out?"

"Because we don't know when that will be and I'm sure everyone is anxious to get home. The quicker we do this, the quicker we can leave. Besides, I'd like to take a look at these mines, see where our resources come from and all that."

Cain scrubbed a hand over his face. "Fine. Just don't go wandering off, okay? Stay in the main tunnels where the miners are."

Before she could answer, they were greeted at the entrance of the mine by a couple of men apparently coming off their shift. They were covered in this odd, glittery, black dust, smeared across their skin and clothes. The two groups stopped and stared at each other, caught off guard. Then the miners all simultaneously dropped to their knees. "Your Majesty."

DG winced and stepped forward, pulling the man in front to his feet. "Please, none of that. I don't need any of you bowing to me, that's for sure. I'm hoping maybe one of you knows where I could find Josek?"

A lanky man with sinewy arms to the right stepped forward. "I'm Josek."

"It's nice to meet you, Josek. I spoke with your wife, Sani, and she said that you would be able to answer my questions about the mines. I'd be honored if you could maybe give me a little tour as well."

The miners exchanged looks, confused. "You—you want to tour _the mines_?"

Not for the first time, DG was considering putting out a memo stating that she wasn't the type of Queen they were used to. "Yes, I would. I want to see the type of conditions that you are working in and find out whether the Duke has become a better ruler than he was."

"I can tell you the Duke is better," Josek said, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. "Used to work us to the bone. But after you talked to him, he turned around and things are better now. We get more time off and don't work such long hours anymore. Life's gotten better. And we have you to thank for it, Your Majesty."

DG blushed and waved away the praise. "I didn't do anything that wasn't deserved. And the Duke deserved to have his ass handed to him. I'm glad to hear that. Now, please, I'd really like to see the mine, see where our Moratanium comes from."

Josek awkwardly bowed, a shower of glittery dust falling from his hair. "Of course. Follow me, Your Majesty." He turned and entered the mine once again, DG picking her way after him, with Cain and Norris on her heels.

The wide mouth of the mine shrank to a narrower tunnel, the floor smooth with countless footsteps, the sides jagged from picked tools. Sunlight fractured down the tunnel, getting swallowed the further it went. Eventually, natural light gave way to artificial as lamps appeared, evenly distributed. Two deep ruts marked the tracks that the mine carts followed down the gently sloping ground. Occasionally another tunnel would branch off, but their group stayed relatively straight, always heading downward.

The sound of running water reached their ears, growing louder with each step. Coming up on their left was a panoramic hole in the wall, looking down several stories towards what could only be described as a lake. Light spilled in from an opening in the ceiling, highlighting the dark waters, crashing against the walls, pockmarked with large holes.

"What is this?" asked DG, fascinated. She placed her hands on the lip of rock, leaning over to look straight down. A strangled sound behind her preceded the hand that convulsively grasped at her waist. She turned her head to see Cain's frown, before she rolled her eyes and turned forward again.

Josek stepped up next to her. "The lake is created by a river that runs underneath the mountains. The holes in the walls are other mines that we access. The water is higher at different times of the year though, barring some of the mines. It's rising now and soon, those tunnels will be completely underwater. It's why production is higher during some points in the year, because there is more for us to mine."

"Huh." DG thought it looked beautiful, with the light refracting over the tide. She had the sudden urge to drop something over the side and see how long it took the reach the bottom but decided against it—Cain was having enough of a heart attack as it was. She pushed back from the edge and smiled at Josek. "Neat. Can I see one of the mines you're working on right now?"

He nodded and started off again, taking a turn into one of the branching tunnels. Cain let his hand drop, but only after he'd repositioned himself between DG and the wall. . .just in case any other 'viewing platforms' came up. DG pretended not to notice the maneuvering, instead focusing on Josek and his listing of daily activities.

The tunnel they entered sloped more and twisted from side to side, ruining any sense of direction they may have. It leveled off then, the sounds of men working bouncing off the walls. A chorus of shouts reached their ears and Josek reached out, stopping DG from going any further. "We should wait here until they finish."

"Finish what?"

"Deepening the tunnel."

"And how are they going to do that?"

On cue, an explosion shook the floor beneath them. DG gave a startled cry, the boom magnified by the small space and piercing their ears. She was instantly grabbed and pushed against the wall, one callused hand holding her head against a broad chest. Cain shielded her body with his own, though nothing attacked them beyond a shower of dust and pebbles. Still, DG kept her eyes tightly closed as her fingers fisted in Cain's duster, trying not to entertain images of being buried under a ton of rock.

Once the earth stopped shaking, Cain loosened his hold on her, pulling back to frame her face. "You okay?"

DG coughed a few times, dust raining off her head. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay." Cain then rounded on Josek, but DG grabbed his arm. "Don't. It's fine, no one got hurt." She turned her eyes towards the miner. "In the future though, some warning would be nice. I've never been in a mine before and don't know what to expect. Not to mention explosions tend to make my bodyguards a bit jumpy."

Josek had the good grace to look abashed. "I'm very sorry, Your Majesty. It's commonplace to me and I didn't think it might scare you. I promise, there won't be any more explosions today."

"I hope not. Trust me when I say I have a fear about being buried alive. So let's hurry up and get on with this tour already." Josek bowed much lower than he had before, motioning for them to follow him.

DG tried to tear herself out of Cain's arms, but he pulled her back. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just a bit shaken up is all."

"We can leave right now, you don't have to keep going on."

"Yes, I do. I said I wanted to see the mines, and I will. It'll just be a shorter trip than I had originally planned. I'll be fine, don't worry." She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss before turning away and following the miner down the tunnel. If there was one thing about the last few days that she loved, it was being able to kiss Wyatt Cain whenever she wanted. Of course, after that first make-out session in the middle of the street, she'd become much more discreet. But the opportunity was still there and she certainly took advantage of it.

A further few turns down the mine brought them to the newly blasted area, staffed by a few miners. "Yesterday, we found traces of a new vein of Moratanium down here," Josek explained, after there were brief introductions to the astonished miners. "Instead of slowly picking at it for weeks and running the risk of finding nothing at all, we set off a controlled blast against the wall to dig further into the rock and give us an early idea of what kind of resources we might find." He bent down and picked up a fist sized black rock. "This is Moratanium, in its raw, unrefined form."

DG took the rock from him, examining it closely. "How can you tell the difference between this and just normal rock?"

"Scratch at it with your fingernail." She did and was astonished to see a silver sheen left behind. "After you do this job long enough, you can just tell the difference between the rocks, without having to test them."

The Queen held the rock up to the light, turning it over. It was hard to believe that a simple rock like that could be so powerful. But there it was. Curious, she walked away from the group and into the newly blasted hole, running her hands over the jagged edges. "How many charges do you set off if you're investigating a new vein?"

"Depends on the results. If this is promising, we'll do half a dozen more. If we don't get any results in the first three blasts, we abandon it and move to a new location."

"Well, I hope this is one of the promising ones." She turned and leaned against the back wall. "I'd hate to see all this hard work for nothing." She grinned and shifted her weight.

_Crack._

DG froze, her eyes instantly going wide. It sounded like the floor was creaking, cracking, splintering under her weight. But that couldn't be right, they were in a mountain, with solid rock under them, not a thin ice sheet. Her eyes went to Josek, who looked horrified. And he would know what that sound meant. It meant the tunnel wasn't stable and she needed to get out of there.

"DG," Cain said, his voice strained. "Move slowly towards me."

Unable to nod or do much of anything, she achingly slowly took a step forward. Then another. Each time, the mountain groaned, protesting the strain of one waif of a girl. The miners stood immobile, anxiously watching, unable to do anything to help, but unwilling to look away. Cain's eyes were intent on her, one of his arms outstretched. Norris was immediately behind him, his eyes sharp with fear. Both men wanted to go to her, but couldn't for fear of upsetting the weight distribution.

DG's progress was slow, but constant. She was only a handful of steps away when everything went to hell. Without warning, the ground underneath her shifted, throwing her back and then forwards as the floor began to vanish in a collapse of rock. Cain yelled and DG made one desperate leap forward, her fingertips brushing Cain's.

But she didn't make it. And with a gut-wrenching scream, she disappeared down the abyss.

* * *

DG was getting real tired of waking up in pain. Whether it was from an assassination attempt or a magical drain, waking up with a pounding headache and her body screaming was a surefire way to put her in a bad mood. For a minute though, she was wondering why she had woken up in pain. She couldn't remember what she had been doing before she went to sleep. . .

She shifted and a pained whimper was ripped from her as agony arced up her leg. Okay, right leg was broken. Her left arm was throbbing too and also, most likely broken. Of course, those were just the body parts screeching louder than others. She raised a hand to her aching head, touching the sticky dried blood covering the right side of her face. What the hell happened? Cracking open her eyes revealed minimal light. But it was enough to see the rocks above her head, which brought memory rushing back.

Turning her head from side to side, all she could see was rock. She may be alive, but she was entombed under the mountain. DG's breath grew short as panic began to set in. Flashbacks of an emerald coffin sprinted across her eyes. Wedging her one good elbow underneath her, she forced her upper body up to get a better look at her leg. The panic went up a notch as she fought against the dizziness. Not only was her leg broken, but it was buried up to the knee in the rock wall.

Her elbow slipped in the damp soil and she fell back to the ground. Tears pricked at her eyes, partially from the pain and partially from fear. She didn't know what to do. Her magic wasn't any help—she was afraid that any augmentation of the rocks, whether she moved them or made them disappear entirely, would just bring down the entire mountain on her. She was effectively stuck. The one saving grace was the knowledge that Cain would be looking for her. He would get every miner digging and even get their own soldiers to help.

She closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing, tried to calm her heart. Once she felt that her body was back under control (except for the constant pain), she was able to hear something beyond her own mind.

Water.

Frowning, DG tried to lever herself up again and twisted her head around. She was lying on a gentle slope, so she had to not only look behind her, but up as well. She could just make out the opening of the tunnel and see high into the air where light was sliding in from the ceiling. It was the large cavern she had seen when they first entered the mines. She must have fallen into one of the mines ringing the makeshift lake.

Speaking of the lake, a light stream of water suddenly crested the lip of the cave and tumbled down the slope. It ran along the edge and disappeared into the cracks of the new rock wall. DG cautiously reached out a hand to touch the water and then yanked her fingers back. It was _freezing_. The stream of water increased, growing larger and splashing her as it rode down the slope. It didn't take long before she could detect the smallest of pools down by the rock wall.

Josek's words suddenly flashed in her mind. '_Soon, those tunnels will be completely underwater.'_ She was in one of those tunnels. The panic started up again as the possibility of drowning began to assert itself. DG twisted and stared up at the opening again. If that was the cavern, it was possible that someone passing by that window could hear her if she shouted long enough. She hoped.

"_Cain! Norris!_" Her voice was impossibly loud in the small space, but she wondered how loud it really was in the cavern, once it was contending with the rushing water and the chaos undoubtedly triggered by her disappearance. "Cain! Can anyone hear me?"

The water continued to flow down the small tunnel, the pool by the wall growing bigger. She needed to do something to get their attention. Maybe her magic could be useful after all. Gathering her shattered focus, she held her right arm above her head and imagined the Fourth of July.

A pinch of light flew from her fingertips, zipped out of the tunnel and, once in the main cavern, exploded into a shower of gold. She heard a few startled cries and she repeated the spectacle, this time turning the firework green. Her arm dropped to the ground, fingertips splashing in the water. She didn't think using too much of her magic was such a good idea, not when her body was in such a rough shape. So she tried to wait for a reaction while the water slid over the top of her immobile knee.

"DG?"

The Queen twisted her head, her heart in her throat. That man's voice had never sounded so beautiful to her before. "Cain! Cain, I'm down here, I'm stuck!"

His voice was faint, but it was definitely there. "Which tunnel are you in?" She sent a small pulse of light to the opening, shining bright enough to clearly mark it. Cain apparently saw it. "Hold on, DG, I'm coming!"

Coming? How the hell was he going to get to her? She was trapped in a lower mine with water pooling at the bottom. In fact, she was starting to shiver from the cold water, which had encased her knees and was slowly inching up her thighs. If he didn't hurry, she was going to have to try and grow gills real soon.

A splash from out in the cavern drew her attention, the pulsing light lost in her damaged focus. Further splashes came closer to her tunnel and she startlingly knew what Cain had meant. The man had actually jumped into the cavern lake to get to her. Into freezing water at an unknown depth. She didn't know whether to smack him or kiss him.

But he was suddenly there, at the top of the tunnel, and she knew that she was leaning towards the latter. "Cain! Thank Ozma, I'm trapped!"

He levered himself out of the lake and into the mine, water streaming off his body. If she weren't so panicked, DG would certainly be struck speechless by a soaking wet Wyatt Cain. Clad only in his pants and shirt, his clothes molded to his body as he hurried down the slope. But his arrival also sent another wave of water down the tunnel, soaking her and bringing her out of her _Baywatch_ inspired daydream.

"Deeg!" Cain dropped to his knees next to her, hands going to her face. He winced at the blood coating her cheek before his eyes scanned her body. "Where are you hurt?"

"My leg's broken for sure—the trapped one. My left arm is most likely broken too. I've probably got a concussion and my entire body is either on fire with pain, or numb altogether from this water."

He slid down the slope, splashing into the water at the bottom. His hands went to the wall and under the surface, circling her knee and checking the rocks keeping her trapped. "You're wedged in there pretty good. What about your magic?"

She shook her head. "I'm afraid even the slightest push is going to bring the rest of this tunnel down on top of me." A wave of water rushed down the slope, hitting the back of her neck and soaking her clean through. DG gasped and felt her muscles tense up as the water level rose to her hips. "We have to think of something fast or I'm not going to make it."

"Don't think like that, I'm getting you out of here," Cain said firmly. He took a few steps up the slope to lean out the opening and shout upwards. "Norris! Get down here!"

DG pushed her elbow beneath her, trying to keep as much of her torso out of the water as possible. "What good is that going to do?"

Cain was back at her side, one of his arms going under her shoulders to help support her weight. "An extra pair of hands isn't a bad idea." He smoothed her wet hair away from her face. "How are you doing, Sweetheart?"

She barked out a laugh, trying to keep her teeth from chattering. "I've been better. I'm freezing, in pain and afraid I'm going to drown in the next five minutes."

"You're not going to drown." She'd never heard his voice so fierce before. "You're getting out of here."

"Whatever you say." A second splash in the distance marked Norris's dive into the water. A few seconds passed before he was at the top of the tunnel and moving inside. The water was nearly at her waist. "Hey there, Norris. Nice of you to join us."

Her bodyguard glared at her once he slid into view. "Once this is over, I'm going to yell at you."

As Cain carefully lowered her back to the ground, she waved a hand at him, her fingers curled from the cold. "Looking forward to it."

The Troop Commander motioned Norris to the wall. "Let's start checking the wall, see if we can shift it enough to get her free." The two men sloshed over, their hands disappearing under the water as they tried to probe the rocks for openings. DG, with nothing to do, laid her head back against the ground. Within moments, her teeth began chattering and shivers wracked her body, rippling the water. Her hands were numb and her breaths were shallower than they had been a few minutes before. Without a doubt, she was hypothermic and it was only going to get worse unless she got warm and dry quick.

A wave of water rushed over her head and she shot upwards, coughing. The water was coming in faster now—the level was even with her breasts and steadily inching upward. She knew they weren't making any progress with the wall. Which meant there was only one option. "You guys need to get out of here."

"Don't be stupid," Cain said tersely, not turning away from the wall.

Her teeth chattering the whole time, she said, "I'm not being stupid, I'm being realistic. I don't have more than a few minutes left before I'm completely underwater. I'm not getting free in time. So you two need to leave while you still can."

"No!" Cain snarled, turning around to face her.

She wasn't backing down though. "You have to!"

"No! I love you, I'm not leaving you here!"

"I won't have you die with me!"

"Would both of you shut up?!" Norris's words stopped them and drew their attention. "We're all getting out of here. My Lady, you're going to have to use your magic."

"I can't, it might bring the whole ceiling down on top of us."

"There isn't exactly a better option, is there?" She bit her tongue and stared at the wall as the water skimmed her throat. "Use your magic to move the rocks. You just need to shift them around your leg so we can pull you free. If you can, stabilize the rest of the tunnel. But we have to do it now, there's no time to argue."

She would have liked to argue quite a bit, but with the water encasing her entire body, it was getting even harder to breathe, not to mention the fact she was losing feeling in her limbs. "Fine."

Cain and Norris moved behind her, the men grabbing her arms—with her bodyguard trying to be careful of her broken limb—ready to drag her out of there. "On the count of three, move the rocks and we'll pull you out," Cain said. "One. Two. Three!"

DG shoved at her magic, trying to focus the blast only to the rocks around her foot. The rocks ground together, an ominous rumble shaking the tunnel. Dust and small pebbles plopped into the water. The rocks around her foot suddenly split apart and the two men pulled at her arms, tugging her free. She couldn't stop the scream as her broken leg jostled across the rocks. But that hardly mattered because the tunnel was showing signs of collapse. Without stopping, Cain and Norris kept pulling her up and out of the tunnel entirely until they splashed into the cavern lake.

DG flailed at first, too tired, confused and panicked to orient herself. Her leg and arm made treading water near impossible and for one horrifying moment, she began to sink. But then two sets of hands grabbed her and hauled her up. Her head broke the water with a gasp and she immediately started coughing, gasping for air.

There was no time to catch her breath though as she was being dragged across the water towards a couple of ropes hanging down from the window high up in the main tunnel. Once they reached it, Cain supported most of her weight while Norris started winding one of the ropes around her, putting in some complicated knots.

"Cain," she croaked, her teeth making more noise than her voice. "I'm not going to be able to hold onto the rope." Ignoring the obviously broken arm, she raised one blue-tipped hand in front of his face, showing him the curled fingers. "I can't feel it at all."

Norris stopped tying the rope, looking at Cain. "We can't risk her falling."

"I know that," Cain snapped. A split second decision. "Secure me too. I'll keep her from falling. And we have enough men up there on the ropes, the extra weight shouldn't be a problem." Norris nodded and grabbed two more of the ropes, now winding them around both Cain and DG.

DG was resting her head on Cain's shoulder, her body shaking violently. She was so numb at this point, both in body and mind. They were talking around her and she was barely processing it. The world just went on without her it seemed and though she knew she needed to care, she didn't.

"Sweetheart, I need you to hold onto me, okay? Put your arms around my neck and hold on as tight as you can." A pause. "Deeg?"

"I heard you," she mumbled, moving her broken and frozen limbs around his neck. The cold had at least numbed the nerves, no longer jangling with the fire of a break. She couldn't move her fingers, but she tried to hold on as best she could. "Let's go already."

Cain snorted but wrapped his arms around her. Norris shouted up at the men to start pulling and slowly, they rose from the water. Cain's foot was braced in a loop of rope at the bottom, helping to stabilize the pair. DG was securely tied to Cain, but he still held on tightly to her small frame. Once they were nearly at the top, Norris started climbing up the last rope, moving swiftly hand over hand.

DG continued to float in this otherworld, aware of her body and the events going on around her but not apart of them. She felt herself bodily hauled over the lip of the tunnel, Cain still holding tightly to her. The voices around her got louder and more distressed, the ground shaking with the number of feet pounding up and down the mine. Her body was blissfully numb, a fact that contributed to her almost comatose nature. Until they picked her up that is.

Then the bones in her broken leg ground together, much like the rocks of the collapsed tunnel. Her vocal cords vibrated with the cry without her permission. They set her back down quickly enough on a canvas surface, some kind of stretcher. Someone smoothed back her wet hair, but she noted it with detachment. The stretcher bounced as it was picked up and hurriedly shuttled up the tunnel into the sunlight.

Everything continued to pass in the staticy haze between television stations—occasionally the picture would sharpen to clearly see what was going on, but then it would fade again into a dull buzz and blurred picture. She was aware of stopping somewhere, of suddenly passing out of the sunshine and back into the shade of a home. Someone started stripping the wet clothes off her body. Idly, she hoped Cain wasn't in the room. . .she wanted to be fully conscious the first time she was taking her clothes off in front of him. But then they started to cut away her pants and boot to work around her leg and all other thoughts moved back into the sea of pain.

Blanket after blanket heaped upon her body, a fire in the corner being stoked to an inferno against her frigid skin. She whimpered against the sudden warmth, almost painful, but soothing voices calmed her. An earthen cup was pressed to her lips and hot, bitter tea was dribbled into her mouth, sliding down her throat to warm her from the inside out. The cup didn't disappear until it was empty of liquid, at which point DG fell tiredly back against the pillow, her already drowsy consciousness falling further and further away until she fell asleep altogether.

* * *

Twice more she returned to the hazy awareness long enough for more of the bitter liquid to be poured into her mouth. Each time she whimpered with the pain in her body, aching away every moment before she fell to the depths once again. Finally, a time came when she climbed back to full consciousness and she could feel her body existing beyond the pain.

Cracking open her eyes, she stared up at an unfamiliar wooden ceiling, frowning at the worn crossbeams. A slight turn of her head revealed a small window, sunlight streaming in. Every few seconds someone would walk in front of the glass, blocking the light momentarily. Another turn of her head in the opposite direction showed Sani sitting next to her bed, quietly mending a man's shirt. Right. The miners. And the collapsed mine. She didn't know exactly where she was, but she knew she needed to see Cain right away.

"Sani?" Her voice was hoarse and weak, but still there.

The woman started and dropped the shirt to the floor. "Your Majesty!" She leapt to her feet and rushed forward. "I'm so happy to see you awake!"

DG tried to smile, but it probably came out as more of a grimace. "Can't say I'm ready to be awake. Is Cain nearby? I kind of need to talk to him. I'm surprised he's not here already."

"We didn't think it proper for him to be here, with you as you are. But I will hurry and get him for you, I'm sure he's not far." Sani hurriedly curtsied before rushing out of the room.

Not proper? What in the world did that mean? DG shifted, feeling the hard mattress under her body and the soft blankets covering her. In fact, she could feel them along every inch of her skin. . .because she wasn't wearing any clothes. DG's eyes widened, glancing to the door. She managed to work her right hand up and out to lift the covers a bit to peek under. Yep, definitely no clothes. Shifting again, she could feel a heavy cast over her right leg, as well as her left arm. Well, she was just a mess. A lovely—naked—mess.

But there was no time to worry about that right now. Because Cain was pushing through the door and straight to her bedside. He forsook the chair that Sani had been sitting in and instead sat on the bed itself, leaning over her, but then stopping. His hands twitched, like he desperately wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her, but was afraid to do so. Whether it was from her injuries or lack of clothing, she wasn't sure.

"How are you doing, Sweetheart?" His wonderful blue eyes were concerned, one hand reaching up to trace a row of stitches crossing her forehead.

"A lot better than the last time you asked me," she answered, smiling. She had been so scared in that cave, absolutely terrified of drowning, but Cain had gotten her out. For the millionth time, she wondered what her life would be like without Wyatt Cain. And she didn't like the answer. "I'm kinda confused though. I don't remember a whole lot after we got out of that cave. Where are we exactly?"

"As soon as they pulled us up, we put you on a stretcher and started moving through the village. Hypothermia had taken a firm hold in you though and every second counted—there was no time to get you either to our infirmary or to Duke Wiggin's. So, Josek offered his house and that's where we are now. Norris and I were taken to a neighbor's house, where they treated us for hypothermia as well. You though, the healer spent hours with you, first trying to warm you up, then treating your other injuries."

"Are you okay?" DG hadn't realized that Cain would be in as much danger from the cold water as she was.

He smiled and trailed his hand down her cheek. "Yeah, Sweetheart, I'm fine. Norris too. It's you I'm worried about though. You were so pale, your lips blue. There was nothing I could do. And then they wouldn't let me see you and I couldn't stand it."

Her free hand grabbed his, lacing their fingers together. "I'm sorry for always scaring you, I don't mean to. But you're here now and that's what matters." A silent moment passed, the contact of their hands secondary to their eyes. "So what's the deal with my other injuries, exactly? I can feel two casts for sure."

"Your arm wasn't too bad, just a clean break and easy to bind. Your leg was trickier though. A good portion of it was crushed in the fall and what hadn't been crushed had begun to mend the wrong way. They had to break your leg again and reset it."

"Ozma," she whispered. "Thank God I don't remember that."

"It's going to take a while to heal, unless we can get a viewer to speed up the process a bit, though you know they're not as confident with bones. Besides your leg and arm, you had the concussion, multiple bruised ribs and more cuts and bruises than I'd like to think about. Honestly, you are incredibly lucky. Most would have died in that situation."

"Yeah. Well, I've done so many stupid things in my life, I figure someone must be looking out for me."

He snorted. "Glinda herself must be shadowing you. It's the only possible explanation." He paused then, glancing around to make sure they were alone, but the bedroom door was closed and no one was by the window. "I don't know for sure how much you remember about what happened in the tunnel, but there's something I need you to know. I should have told you the moment I realized it, but I could never get the words out. And after so many near misses, I can't take any more chances." He leaned closer, eyes locked on hers. "I love you, DG. Have for weeks, if not months. You don't have to say anything, but I need you to know."

Her eyes wide, she stared at him for a moment, trying to gather her fractured thoughts. When he started to pull away, she tugged on his hand, dragging him back. When he moved back, she took her hand and placed it on the back of his neck, her thumb stroking the underside of his jaw. "I love you, Wyatt Cain." Then she tugged on his neck, bringing his lips to meet hers.

His arms went under her back, gently raising her to deepen the contact between their lips, the kiss far more passionate than any other that they had shared. DG quaked with the feel of his callused palms sliding along her skin, grasping and caressing all at once. She worked her other arm free to drape it over his shoulder, careful not to bash him in the head with her cast. With both arms around him, she sat up straighter and crushed their torsos together, not caring that her ribs protested the movement or that the blanket covering her was now precariously in place. But none of that mattered right then. It was all about his tongue tracing her lips, her fingers grasping his hair, their blood tiding together.

The kiss turned unexpectedly salty. Taking their time, they slowly pulled apart, noses brushing. Cain's eyes opened first, traveling her face. "You're crying," he said softly. "Are you in pain?"

DG gave a watery laugh, her eyes bright. "No. Well, yes, but that's not why I'm crying. As horribly corny as it sounds, I'm happy. Just. . .incredibly happy." He leaned in to grab another kiss and the Queen's laugh suddenly grew muffled as his lips landed against her own. It exploded again once he pulled away. Cain's wry smile suddenly disappeared when his arms went all the way around her.

"Uhh, Deeg?"

"Hmm?" Her head was on his shoulder, eyes closed and wearing a stupid smile.

"You're not wearing any clothes."

DG snorted. "Not too quick on the draw today are you?" She lifted her head to see his eyes suddenly diverted to the side, his face on fire. She rolled her eyes. "Wyatt, you've just kissed me senseless and now you're embarrassed despite the fact that I'm covered up."

"DG, it isn't—" His words died when DG crushed his lips against hers, erasing any excuse he may have given. She proceeded to kiss him in a way that killed most of his higher brain function, just as he had similarly hampered her. Once she was satisfied, she drew her lips away and said, "If I don't care, then you shouldn't." She pulled further back and held a hand against her chest, keeping the blanket in place. "I wouldn't mind some clothes from my pack though."

Cain snorted as well. "I'll see what I can do. And only because I love you."

The smile that crept across her face was blinding. "That's more than enough for me."

The Troop Commander smiled as well, the biggest such grin she had ever seen from him. He didn't say anything, just kissed her gently before rising from the bed and leaving. DG then fell back, staring up at the ceiling. She grabbed a pillow and pushed her face into it, screaming giddily.

"Are you alright, Your Majesty?" It was Sani, standing at the doorway, drawn by the muffled shriek.

DG tossed the pillow to the side, trying unsuccessfully to dampen her spotlight smile. "I'm great, Sani. Just great."

"I am glad to hear that. Perhaps you might be able to see two visitors?"

In the wake of Cain's admission, she felt strong enough to do anything. The pain and exhaustion ran secondary to all else. And who cares if she's still completely unclothed—it wouldn't be the first time she'd caused a scandal and it certainly won't be the last. "Sure, as long as it's short."

"Of course." She stepped aside and a nervous nobleman entered the room, his short brown hair plastered to his head, his mustache neatly trimmed and his pale face humble. He bowed halfway into the room.

"Duke Wiggin." DG pushed herself up to lean against the headboard, wrapping the blanket around herself as best she could. "I am glad that I have the opportunity to speak with you. Please, have a seat."

Wiggin—who was certainly a few pounds slimmer than the last time she saw him—uneasily sank into the chair, picking up Sani's discarded mending and laying it on the table. "I am sorry I was not there to greet you when you first entered my lands. Had I known you were coming, I would have had rooms prepared for you. As it is, there are rooms available for you now, should you desire them."

"Thank you, but I am comfortable enough here. And I do not think I will be here much longer, as I am sure my guards are anxious to get me back to Central City and the palace healers. I apologize for arriving unannounced, but that was my intention. I gave you an ultimatum several months ago and I wanted to see that my conditions were being met." She paused for dramatic effect, taking a moment to enjoy the sweat beating at Wiggin's brow. "And I must say I am pleased with your progress here. Your people are happy with the transition you've made, and they all appear to be much better off now, which is of most import to me.

"However, I would appreciate it if you would take walks through the village more often, perhaps meet with those on your lands occasionally. They need to see the man that leads them, and that can't happen when you spend all your time locked away in your own manor.

"Also, there are the mines, once again, to speak of."

Wiggin winced and DG shared the sentiment. "Your Majesty, I am deeply sorry that—"

"There is no need for apologies, Duke. You could hardly have predicted a collapse like that, nor do I hold you to it. But in an effort to make sure the miners are safe, I would like you to close down the mines for a few days while each and every tunnel is inspected for stability. And I want this to continue on a monthly scale, shut down briefly to check the tunnels. I was lucky to only break my leg and arm in the fall. Another person might not have that luck. Understood?"

Wiggin nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. The mines are closed right now, but I will not let them open until the inspections have been carried out."

"Good. I am very happy with what I have seen here and hope that you can continue. I will try and stop by again to check your progress. And this time I will try and send a messenger first."

Wiggin smiled as he rose. "I am honored that I have pleased my Queen. I look forward to your future visit and hope that it will be much more uneventful than this one." DG laughed as Wiggin bowed and left the room. The moment he left the room, a hulking figure took his place, filling out the doorway.

DG raised an eyebrow. "Are you my second visitor?"

Norris snorted. "No."

"So, are you here to yell at me then, like you promised in the cave?"

He smiled, the pockmarked skin of his left cheek pulling roguishly. "Surprisingly, no. I think you know everything that I would say to you. But I reserve the right to yell at you in the future, during the next stupid stunt you pull."

The Queen sighed. "Fine. But it all worked out, we're all alive and breathing! Just think about how boring your life would be without me."

"Blissfully so."

"Ha ha. Now if you wouldn't mind sending in my other guest, I would appreciate it." Norris inclined his head and turned. "Norris?" He paused and turned back. "Thank you. For everything, really, but especially for helping get me out of there. I'm glad you're alright."

His smile was brief, but genuine. Then he turned and was gone. She was not looking forward to the day that he called in _that_ marker. A minute after he was gone, her second visitor showed up. A small girl with curly brown hair shuffled in, a ring of gold wire held between her fingers.

DG smiled softly. "Hello, Nithra. Why aren't you outside playing with the other kids?"

"I wanted to say hi." Nithra's shoes scuffed the floor as she inched closer, finally sidling up to the bed. "You were really hurt. Everybody was scared for you."

DG frowned. The little girl hadn't met her eyes yet, her normally boisterous voice quiet and unsure. "Nithra. . .were you scared too?" The little girl sniffed and nodded. Instinctively, DG leaned forward and wrapped her one good arm around the girl. "Come here." Nithra dropped the circlet and clambered onto the bed, wrapping her arms around DG's neck. "I'm alright now. Thanks to your mommy and daddy, who gave me a place to stay, I'm getting better. It's okay to be scared, but you don't have to worry anymore, okay? I promise I'm going to get better and then I'll be able to play with you the next time I visit. Does that sound good?"

Nithra nodded, giving one last sniff. "My mommy says that this is why we don't play in the mines, that they're dangerous. I don't think you should go in the mines anymore."

DG bit her lip to keep from laughing. "I have to agree with your mommy. The mines are very dangerous and you should never go near them. I'll make you a deal. You keep wearing your shoes when you play and I won't go in the mines again. Okay?"

She held out her hand and Nithra grinned, slapping it. "Deal!"

"Great. Now I want you to go back outside and have enough fun for the both of us."

"'Kay!" Nithra jumped off the bed but paused when she hit the floor. "I almost forgot!" She reached down and picked up DG's circlet. "I held onto it for you, just like you asked!"

DG took the piece of metal. "Well, thank you very much. You did a good job for me. Now, scoot!" Nithra bolted out the door, the spring back in her step. Seeing a child so carefree like that made her nostalgic. She missed the days of being able to do what she wanted: whether it was exploring the woods with Azkadellia, or walking for hours in the fields. There was freedom there that she definitely missed. Of course, she couldn't tell if it was the freedom of childhood or the freedom of not being Queen of a war-torn country. It didn't matter though. While she felt the nostalgia, that was all it was. She was surprisingly happy with her life now. Because the adult DG got to do cool things all the time. She got to meet interesting people. She got to experiment with magic. And she got to be with Wyatt Cain. A man that loved her and that she loved in return.

And that was the best thing of all.

* * *

**I am so sorry for the wait on this one. All I really have are excuses—I'm desperately searching for a job. And I've been absolutely glued to the tv, watching the Olympics all night, every night. That cuts into my writing time, you could say.**

**Also, frankly, this piece just gave me fits. I kept getting jammed, not sure how to get from one part to the next. DG's injuries inadvertently changed with each paragraph and had me banging my head against the desk. I'm still not entirely happy with this one, but I just had to get rid of it before I scrapped it all. Ugh. I really do hope that you all enjoyed it though and that the obscene length of this piece helps make up for the delay.**

**As for the next one, I'm not sure how it's going to play out, honestly. I'm thrilled to write it, I think it's going to be great and I'm hoping I've figured out the format. We're going to be visiting things from a different point of view. Hehe. There's the slight chance I'm going to post it as a companion piece, if it gets too out of control. Otherwise, it'll show up as an Interlude here. We'll see. After that, it's a debate between two ideas. Who knows.**

**Anyway, thank you, as always to my wonderful readers. Even when I get stuck, I try and push through for you guys, because I don't want to leave you hanging too long, if I can help it! I'm not going to put a timeline on the next chapter, but know that I'm trying to do my best for you. I love and adore you all. Please, leave me some feedback and let me know what you thought! Thanks and until next time!**


	10. Interlude The Bodyguard

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful Queen Isabella. Because this chapter would not exist without her.  
**

* * *

The infirmary was blissfully quiet, just the muted footsteps of the healers and the twittering of birds outside the big bay windows. It was peaceful, calm and the perfect environment for a healing patient. It was heaven—

"You know I'm sorry, right?"

Disturbed. Norris cracked open an eye to see the Queen standing in the doorway, biting her lip and looking ashamed. He sighed. "Of course, My Lady. You have said so more than a dozen times. Just as I have said that I forgive you more than a dozen times."

Rustling cloth drew his gaze and he bit back his frustration as she hobbled over to his bed. The viewer, Raw, had arrived to visit yesterday and did what he could to heal DG's smashed leg from the collapsed mine. While the bone was well on its way to mending, it was still tender and her leg was weak overall. She wore a brace around the leg and had to use a cane to walk, until her leg was fully healed. Norris was of the opinion that she shouldn't be walking at all, but DG had an infuriating talent for overriding common sense decisions.

Dropping into a chair next to his bed, she worried her lower lip a bit more. "I know you did, but I still feel horrible. It's my fault you got hurt."

Norris knew he wasn't going to get anymore rest, so he struggled to sit up, DG reaching to help prop the pillows up behind his back. Movements were slow and pain-filled. Raw had been nice enough to heal his broken collarbone, but much like DG's leg, it was still tender and was going to take time to regain its full strength. "I don't blame you, My Lady. You got distracted and lost control of the spell. It happens."

"You should have let the file cabinet fall on me."

He gave her a look. "My job is to protect you, whether it be from bullets or floating file cabinets. I do not regret it. So you should stop worrying about it."

She sighed. "I guess. I'd still feel better if you yelled at me or something."

Norris grinned. "I am saving that marker for a special day. Do not worry, My Lady, I shall yell at you eventually."

For the first time since she entered the room, DG finally smiled. "Okay. So what are you going to do now that you're laid up in the infirmary for a few days?"

"He's going to help me, actually." Cain walked into the room, a stack of folders in his arms.

"Cain! The poor man is in pain and can't run away and you want to subject him to paperwork?"

"My Lady, I offered to help."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Doesn't matter. You should be taking advantage of the break, not doing Cain's busy work."

Cain rolled his eyes and set the pile on the end table. "It is not busy work. We need to approve a few more men to join the Royal Guard and expand the detail. I've managed to narrow it down, but Norris is going to do some of the interviews and get a feel for the men."

DG's eyes lit up mischievously. "Can I help?"

Norris kept his mouth shut, unwilling and unable to deny her anything. Cain didn't have the same reservations though. "No, you cannot help. You have your own work to get back to. Besides, I think having an injured monarch and her injured bodyguard in the same room staring at them might scare them off the detail."

The Queen picked up her cane and poked Cain in the hip. "Watch it, buster. I've got a longer reach now and I'm not afraid to use it." She turned back to Norris. "I'll let you get to work then. But don't do too much. And if you want my help, just call me."

"Of course, My Lady." He should bow to her, but it was just too painful. Instead, he just inclined his head. "Thank you for visiting me."

"It's the least I could do." Cain offered his elbow and she took it, trying not to put too much pressure on it as she climbed to her feet—her left arm was also weak and healing, after all. With his help, she limped to the door, moving slowly and deliberately, Cain keeping an even pace with her. Once at the door though, she paused and turned. "Seriously, I'm really _really_ sorry." Before he could say anything though, she was gone, escorted by the Troop Commander and surrounded, as always, by her personal guard.

And the peace returned. Norris, however, was not going to get a chance to savor it. He was going to be conducting interviews that day and trying his best to decide who would be a good addition to the Guard. Picking the first folder off the pile, he flipped it open and began reading.

He had just finished going over the reports inside when there was a knock at the door and his first interviewee entered. A Lieutenant in the Royal Army, his uniform was crisp, his boots polished. He came to a smart stop and snapped off a salute. Norris felt foolish, lying in a bed and receiving able young men. In his line of work, he always had to be fit and active, ready to move at the slightest instant. But now he was starting to feel the strain of the years on his body, especially when faced with a man half his age.

Or it could of just been the fading pain medication.

"Thrace, have a seat." The young man settled into the chair, distractedly running a hand through spiky blonde hair. Even though the head guard had already read the file, he took a minute to scan it again, wanting to see how the man reacted when forced to wait. Thrace remained still except for one tapping finger against the thigh. Satisfied, Norris began asking the standard questions and the strange questions, cataloguing responses both physical and vocal.

Once he had a good feel for the young man, he closed the file and nodded. "I think that's all. I will have to discuss this with Commander Cain before any decisions are made, at which point we will let you know how things stand. Do you have any questions?"

Thrace's finger resumed its tapping against his thigh. "I'm curious, sir. I've never met the Queen before. If I may, what is guarding her like? Especially when you first meet her?"

Norris blinked. Any question concerning DG was a loaded question as the girl was anything but simple. It wouldn't do to scare the kid with some of her eccentricities just yet. "Queen Dorothy is perhaps the most wonderful woman you will ever meet. My first official day on her detail began the day of her vigil, right before her Coronation. . ."

* * *

Despite years of experience, Norris could confidently say that he had no idea what to expect. He had guarded monarchs before, cutting his teeth on Queen Lavender's reign. He had spent years in the Resistance, doing what he could to save his country. He had once again taken to guarding the dethroned monarch, once the Witch was defeated. But now he was taking a new position. And he had no idea what to make of this slipper princess that was going to be taking the throne.

He had met her not long after the eclipse, of course. It was hard to believe this strange girl had defeated the most powerful witch in ages. She was an anomaly then and remained so now. The only difference was that now it was going to be his duty to guard her when she wore the crown.

Which left him waiting outside her door on the day of her Coronation, prepared to escort her down to the Great Hall. Though he had officially come on duty in the middle of the night, he had spent the time doing security checks for the upcoming ceremony. The palace and the surrounding city had been searched thoroughly, scanned multiple times over the course of the last few days. If anyone wanted to send a message, assassinating the Queen on her Coronation was the way to do it. No one would get that chance though; not if he had anything to say about it.

Or Wyatt Cain, for that matter. The former Tin Man was also in front of her door, pulling at the collar of his black dress uniform. Norris honestly didn't know what Cain's actual position was. . .he tended to appear in the center of security issues, especially if they were in any way connected with the future monarch. When the briefing for the vigil and Coronation began, Cain had calmly stated that he would escort DG to and from the Hall.

That statement was almost enough to offend Norris, wondering if the Tin Man didn't trust in their abilities to keep her safe. But after the meeting ended he watched as Cain met with DG and changed his mind. The fact was, Cain had been protecting her from the moment she set foot back in the O.Z. And he wasn't going to stop now, crown or no.

The door creaked open and drew their attention round. Standing in the doorway, without any doubt, was a Queen. She was dressed in the traditional silver and emerald gown, the ruby slippers on her feet and the emerald around her neck. He would have been daunted by the vision before him if not for the blush creeping up her cheeks and the way she fidgeted in the dress. She raised an eyebrow at the speechless Cain and Norris suppressed a snort—that quirky girl was still there.

And that fact became all the more apparent as they walked to the Great Hall. Though she couldn't talk, several times DG stomped her foot in agitation and batted at her skirt, generally while in the middle of a staircase. The men were trained to keep their faces blank, but he caught Cain smirking at one point as he offered her his arm to help her balance.

Finally though, they reached the Great Hall. The guards moved to the side and stood at attention, eyes ahead. Norris though, kept his gaze on the Crown Princess, aware that something wasn't right. Hardly a moment passed before he knew she was panicking, staring in terror at the gilded doors. She started to hyperventilate, a hand going to her heaving chest. Norris was about to call for a healer when Cain stepped forward, blocking her sight of the doors and drawing her gaze.

Norris watched the scene play out, shocked that the girl would clearly be so terrified of taking the throne. He watched as Cain took her hands and placed them on his chest, calmly urging her to take a deep breath. He watched the tender look on the man's face come and go, as DG's eyes closed and then opened. And he watched him gently cup her cheek, telling her he was proud of her. In an instant, the future Queen reverted to a simple woman and threw her arms around Cain's neck, hugging him tightly.

Norris couldn't stop his smile. He knew that it was going to take a while to adjust to the reign of Queen Dorothy—he wasn't used to guarding a monarch who was infamous for her impromptu hugs and her penchant for finding trouble. But he had a feeling that he was going to like the change of pace. He also knew that he was going to be keeping a close eye on the interaction between DG and Cain. Because there was more going on there than met the eye.

A quick peck on the cheek and they broke apart. A deep breath and head held high, DG then signaled the doorman that she was ready. And she became Crown Princess Dorothy of the House of Gale, ready to accept the crown and ascend to the throne. Without a doubt, the O.Z. was in for some interesting years. And he was going to be at the center of it all.

* * *

". . .Her Majesty is unlike anyone you have ever met before. And we are all the better for it."

"I can certainly agree with that, sir," Thrace said. "When she took the throne, everyone was saying that our savior princess would usher in some new Golden Age. I didn't believe them at first, but it's hard to ignore the progress she has made in this country."

"Yes. But even though she has brought peace and prosperity to us, she has also earned enemies that supported the former regime. Make no mistake, Queen Dorothy is targeted like no other monarch before her. Because of that, the position of the Queen's Guard is far more dangerous than it has been in the past."

Thrace nodded solemnly. "I understand. I would ask you to consider though, my parents both died in the Witch's reign. I was left to care for my younger siblings, with the help of our neighbors. Because of the Queen, my sister and brother have a chance at a normal life, one I could never have. For that alone, I would gladly sacrifice myself for her, take the bullet meant for her."

Norris grunted, wondering how much of this speech was sincerity and how much was passionate acting meant to get him the job. "Not all of the weapons used in vengeance are guns. Do not forget Korben, who used a concealed blade to try and kill her. It is a reminder that sometimes your best defense of an attack is being able to read people and know their intentions before they want them revealed."

"Then using Korben as an example, did he display any signs that he was planning to assassinate the Queen?"

Norris felt like clubbing the young officer for his impudence, but didn't. "Do you think we would have let him into her office if there were? Korben was a man who knew what he was doing. . ."

* * *

Norris had failed.

Let down his entire country. The Royal Guard. The Troop Commander. But more importantly, he had failed his Queen. Failed her because when she needed him most, he wasn't there. Wasn't able to keep her safe. And because of his incompetence, Queen Dorothy was now lying on her office floor, gasping for breath as the blood ran from her body and saturated the floor.

He couldn't worry about that now though. Because while Cain knelt at DG's side and tried to staunch the blood flow, Norris was going to deal with the assassin. With a growl, he stalked over to the barely conscious man and wrapped a hand in his shirt, hauling him up. "You son of a bitch," he snarled, ripping the bladed bracers from Korben's arms. He then tossed the man at a few of the waiting guards. "Throw him in a cell and post a guard. He doesn't need to make it there in one piece, but make sure he's still alive. . .we're going to need whatever information he has."

Norris then turned to Agathon, his second. "Put the palace on high alert and mobilize every guard we have. Everyone is to go to their emergency posts, but I want you to give special tasks to three squads. Send one squad to contain Korben's staff, make sure none of them escape. Send another squad to supplement the guards already around the royal family. And then split up the third squad, sending half here to bolster the Queen's ranks and the other half to reinforce those guarding Korben. Go." Agathon nodded and ran out.

With the immediate taken care of, Norris was able to turn his attention back to DG. Once again he felt the self-loathing rush through him and it only grew as he watched the Troop Commander desperately try to save the Queen. No matter what he did, DG was still fading before their eyes. Movements decreased as her body lost its strength. Words grew weaker as her lungs struggled for air. Then there were her eyes—the eyes that were always full of mischief and energy—growing slowly dimmer as her life leaked out of her.

But that wasn't what hurt the most. It was the fact that Norris couldn't do anything about it. His chance to save her had already come and gone. Now all he could do was pick up the pieces. So while they all waited for the healer to arrive, he dropped to his knees and took up the torn jacket that had been converted into a makeshift bandage and added pressure to the wound. Since there was nothing else to do, he focused on DG and Cain, quietly watching the tender interaction between them, even in such a dire situation.

Wyatt Cain was the definition of the unflappable man. Not much fazed him after spending eight years in a tin suit, subjected to a horror that few could imagine. So to see him so clearly unnerved and even desperate was more disturbing that DG's condition. Cain was focused entirely on the Queen, one hand holding hers, the other cupping her cheek.

He listened as Cain tried to keep his voice steady and soothing, tried to keep DG calm and focused despite her waning conscious. Though the Queen might have been unaware of it, Norris saw the tremble in his hands, heard the slightest hitch in his words. When Cain turned his head away to unknowingly issue the same orders that Norris had already given, he dropped the tics. But then the moment his eyes returned to DG, he regained them.

For one grotesque moment, Norris wondered what would happen if DG didn't survive. Though his stomach rolled at the thought—undoubtedly the entire country would mourn her passing. But after more than a month of observation, he knew that none would be more affected than Cain.

"No!" Cain's sharp words refocused his attention on DG. She was bleeding out in front of their eyes, fading further with each moment. "You have to stay with me, DG. You have to hang on." DG parted her lips, an odd hiss escaping, the only remnant of a failed word. Then she smiled, her eyes on Cain before her lids slid shut and her head tilted to the side. "_DG!_" Cain shouted, both his hands going to her face. "No, DG, please! Wake up! Come on, Sweetheart, stay with me!" Norris wanted to curse, but he couldn't breathe. He couldn't move past DG's slack face, the smile numbly etched upon her pale skin. Pale skin with bloody fingerprints on it, left over from Cain's hands.

Pounding footsteps diverted him though and he almost sighed when the healer finally crashed through the door. Norris leaned back and pulled away the jacket, revealing the still open wound. The healer dropped to her knees and poked and prodded the split skin. DG didn't move. The healer shook her head. "Her spleen has been punctured for sure. We need to get her into surgery now, or she won't make it. Help me get her on the stretcher."

Together, Cain and Norris lifted DG's frighteningly light, lifeless body onto the taut canvas. Two guards stepped up then and grabbed either end, quickly lifting it and hurrying out the door. Against his will, Norris found himself mesmerized by the sight of her lifeless hand hanging off the side, dark droplets dripping off thin fingers to splash on the floor. But then they turned the corner and the spell was broken.

Which brought his attention to Cain, who was moving to follow. Norris restrained him, drawing the Troop Commander's glare. "What the hell are you doing?"

"You have responsibilities to attend to, even now. You can't go to her. There's nothing you can do."

Cain snarled and tugged at his arm. "I wasn't going to!"

Norris grit his teeth. "You can't go hurt Korben either."

"And why not?" Cain growled deep in his chest, his eyes hard. "That bastard tried to kill her, tried to take her away from me. Why shouldn't I knock him around while I get some information out of him? Someone has to do it and it might as well be me!"

"But not now!" Despite himself, Norris was almost frightened by the man in front of him, so different from his normally stoic persona. "You aren't thinking straight right now. You're worried about Her Majesty, as you should be. And you aren't the only one. Someone has to go and tell her family what is going on. That someone should be you. And you should wash your hands before you do it."

Cain raised his hands to meet his eyesight, almost shocked by the harsh scarlet deep in the creases of his palms, hidden under his nails and clinging to every inch of skin. The former Tin Man seemed to deflate then, lose his bravado and his steel as he turned and stared at the floor where she had lain only moments ago. "Fine. I'll go talk to the Royal Family. And I'll stay away from Korben for now. But I'm going to be there for the interrogation. And when DG comes out of this, we're going to have a talk about what changes need to be made to her security."

Norris nodded and stood up to attention. The vulnerability Cain had shown only moments ago was gone, buried beneath the professional exterior, shuttled to the side as the need to prioritize reasserted itself. He was the Troop Commander once again as he left the Queen's office.

The head guard was the only soul remaining in the room then, the only one left to stare at the gruesome destruction of the assassination attempt. It was a visible reminder of his failure in his duty—his failure to protect his Queen. Norris vowed then that it wouldn't happen again. Not while he still drew breath.

* * *

". . .The point is, we must always be paranoid. We must always be cautious. Letting our guard down for even a moment can mean her death. There aren't always obvious signs with assassins. Some, like Korben, show no fear or intent before they make their move. Though our first drive is to prevent it, our second is to always be prepared for the worst and do whatever it takes to keep the Queen safe."

Thrace arched one of his eyebrows. "From what I've heard, keeping the Queen safe is a harder task than it would seem, regardless of assassins."

Norris pushed himself further up in the bed, refusing to let the pain in his collarbone stutter the movement. "Guarding any monarch is a difficult task. Does that change your mind of whether you wish to transfer into the Royal Guard?"

"No, of course not. I merely meant to comment on the rumored. . .headstrong nature of Queen Dorothy."

And that was the first mistake Thrace made. "If you wish to be apart of the Royal Guard, you should know that gossip and rumors are not tolerated. Anything that you see or hear while in the Queen's presence remains confidential and is not to be discussed."

Thrace flushed. "I did not mean to offend, please forgive me." He hesitated. "But these rumors are not only in the palace—they run throughout the entire city."

"Regardless of who is on the throne, there are always rumors surrounding their reign. As it is for Queen Dorothy, it also was for Queen Lavender when she wore the crown." Norris sighed. "Her Majesty often does not take well to being told she cannot do something. This is not because she believes she is entitled to her way, but because she refuses to accept defeat when it comes to making life better for her people."

"And that is why the people love her so," Thrace finished knowingly. "How does that change the way in which you approach her security?"

"It does not change it at all. It just means that we have to be aware that she does not necessarily accept her own limits and that we should know what those limits are. Sometimes, we have to protect her from herself as well. . ."

* * *

Logically, Norris knew that figuring out DG's magical limits was a good idea. They knew she was powerful and that she had the potential to master any complex spell, but they had no idea just how strong she was. So Tutor decided to test her limits while in the middle of a controlled environment. Norris had agreed with him, had even agreed to help the shape-shifter out by unexpectedly throwing tools at DG's shield.

But all of this was before they were caught in the effects of the magical strain placed on DG. They had watched, awed as she performed several complex spells, all the while smiling and joking and acting like she was perfectly fine. Of course, it wasn't until things started to spiral out of control that they knew anything was wrong. And there was little they could do to stop it.

Norris held up a hand to shield his eyes as the wind picked up, throwing rocks, twigs and bits of dirt everywhere. Water splashed over his boots where it crashed into the ground, no longer firmly held back in a perfect wave. He had to dodge to the side as one of the discarded tools on the ground suddenly lifted in the gusts and flew past his ear. There was no question that things had suddenly become dangerous. But he wasn't worried about himself right now.

Standing in front of him, surrounded by a flickering golden glow was DG, her eyes closed and her hands outstretched. Sweat glistened on her forehead as her fingers trembled, her jaw clenching. A couple of the guards behind him shouted, stung by the debris in the air and the sound seemed to spur DG on. She suddenly screamed and clenched her fists together, her chest heaving with the effort.

And for a blissful moment, the chaos stilled. The wind settled and the water calmed, just as the rocks and the doll returned to their hovering. But it was just for a moment. Because then the blood began to drip out DG's nose and stain her dress as the spells began to unravel once again.

Norris was prepared to rush forward and try to somehow get DG out of the way when Cain's shout reached across the hurricane feet between him and the Queen. "_Stop! DG, stop it, let go!_" Surprisingly, the magic instantly dissipated. All of the spells broke and in a cacophony of sound, the garden returned to peace. But in the midst of it all, DG soundlessly crumpled to the ground, lifeless as a doll.

Norris charged forward, heart in his throat, but Cain was the first to reach her, his eyes frightened as he gently gathered her in his arms. "DG?" A hand at her throat revealed a steady heartbeat, despite the ragged breaths that stuttered through her lungs. "She's alive," he said, clearly just as much for his benefit as everyone else's. His hand moved up to her face, wiping away the blood with his sleeve. "Come on, Deeg, time to wake up."

"She will awaken when her body is ready." Even though everyone else was in a near panic over the Queen's collapse, Tutor seemed calm and collected. Norris wanted to strangle him.

As did Cain, apparently. "You stay the hell away," he growled, his arms tightening around DG's body. "I think you've helped enough."

Tutor, having faced the Tin Man's wrath before, wasn't as cowed as a first-timer would be. "I didn't do anything that DG didn't willingly accept."

"It doesn't matter if she accepted it or not. You shouldn't have put the strain on her, not when she has enough to worry about!"

Norris agreed with Cain wholeheartedly. He would have loved to say something as well, but he was of the opinion that it was better to be silent and invisible when the Troop Commander was in a fury. Tutor, however, was braver than he looked, because he didn't back down. "Do not blame me, she puts the burden on herself. You need to realize that there is no greater weapon than a Gale woman!"

"I do realize it! But your demonstration here was pointless and completely unnecessary!"

Tutor was losing his patience and raising his voice to match Cain's. Despite himself, Norris took a step back. "It had to be done! She needed to be tested."

"That doesn't mean she needed to be drained to within an inch of her life."

"It was never my intention to do so! She should have let go long before that point."

Norris rolled his eyes. Clearly, Tutor had become more absentminded than Glitch, a fact Cain caught onto as well. "And if you knew anything about her, you'd know that she doesn't just give up, even if it's in her best interests!"

Even though the two men's voices eclipsed every other sound, somehow DG's tiny whimper broke through and silenced them. All the fire died from Cain's face as he turned his attention back to the woman in his arms, raising a hand to brush her hair away. "DG? Come on, Sweetheart, open your eyes for me." Norris kept his expression carefully neutral, but his eyes were sharp upon the former Tin Man, noting the ready change in demeanor. It seemed that no matter what happened, DG was the only one that could draw out this side of Cain, with the exception of his son. What was even more interesting was how she responded to the gentle prodding, cracking open her eyes and leaving them firmly fixed on the Troop Commander. A relived smile broke upon Cain's lips. "That's my girl. Don't try and move, just lie still for now."

Now that the Queen was clearly alive and well, if a bit exhausted, Norris felt like he could breathe again. He could take a step back and listen as DG apologized for failing at something no one else in the O.Z could even attempt, let alone accomplish. He could watch as Cain continued to hold her, though the need for it had long since passed. He could note the growing intensity between Queen and Troop Commander and wonder how it was going to affect them both. . .and whether it was going to develop beyond tension. But more importantly he could take a moment to update his mental list of things to watch out for concerning the Queen—he needed to add in _overtaxing magical ability_. And he had an unpleasant feeling that this newfound magical wellspring was going to ultimately give him more headaches.

* * *

". . .It all goes back to one main point: knowledge is your strongest weapon. I don't care how many push-ups you can do, how fast you can run or how much pain you can endure; all of it is useless unless you have the intellect to support it."

Thrace leaned forward, falling further out of the perfect recruit role the longer he sat and listened to the bodyguard. "So we must know not only our enemy, but our charge as well."

Norris nodded and let a small, brief smile out. "And without a doubt, Queen Dorothy takes some getting used to."

Thrace snorted. "She takes some getting used to from a citizen's point of view as well. I know I was shocked to learn that she was going to lead the assault against the longcoats at Earl Korben's manor. But I suppose her magic gave the Royal Army an edge over the enemy."

"More than an edge. Her Majesty is responsible for the victory. . ."

* * *

It was a bad idea. He knew it was a bad idea from the second he heard the full plan. There were so many things that could go wrong, so many unknown factors, so many shifting variables. But his misgivings and objections didn't play a part. Because DG was going to do what she wanted, if only because it might spare the lives of her men.

Norris wasn't afraid to admit that he truly admired his Queen. Everything she did was for her people. But he loved her as a citizen. As a bodyguard, she drove him insane. Taking unnecessary risks was her mantra. Just as she was currently demonstrating by walking unprotected to the enemy gates, armed with nothing but her magic.

He grunted in annoyance and continued pacing, his eyes always on the impenetrable mist that covered the field. Behind him, the men shouted and sang and cheered, doing everything they could to cause as much noise as possible. Though it was a nice touch to DG's plan, he couldn't help but be irritated: their noise prevented him from hearing anything from the battlefield.

Still, Norris couldn't shake the feeling that he should be out there with her and the Troop Commander—should be doing anything besides sitting and waiting for their return. He didn't like being idle. But all he could do was sit and stare at the mist, waiting for two whole and hale figures to walk out, mission accomplished.

The harder he stared at the mist, the more he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. Because now he swore that it was not only shrinking, but getting more transparent. His breath caught in his throat as he stopped pacing, eyes straining for any anomaly. Then, abruptly, the mist started to fade altogether, dissipating without the benefit of the wind's aid. And he was left with a sight that nearly froze his heart.

Hurrying towards him was Cain, DG's limp body in his arms. Her head was not pillowed against his chest, but hung backwards, her dark hair reaching for the ground. A thin stream of scarlet blood ran from her nose and across her cheek, gravity pulling it downward. One pale arm stretched out from her body, bouncing lifelessly with each step.

Behind him, the mock-party faltered, their noise dying as they caught sight of their unconscious Queen. Norris spun around, grabbing Agathon. "Tell them to keep it up; if the party stops suddenly, the longcoats may get suspicious. And send a healer to the Queen's tent." Releasing his second, he strode forward and met Cain, evenly matching his flurried footsteps.

"What happened?" he asked tersely.

"Just what you would expect," Cain bit out. "She held onto the spell until her body gave out on her."

Norris held back the tent flap, letting Cain duck inside. He then rushed forward and spread the divider leading to DG's personal quarters. "How long has she been out? She woke up the last time she was magically drained."

Cain shook his head. "Only a few minutes. But last time she was able to let go of the spell before she passed out. This time, she didn't have a choice." He slowly lowered her onto the bed. "I have a feeling she's going to be out until morning." He grabbed a rag off of a nearby table and wiped the blood off of her face, his actions gentle despite his clear agitation. "Stupid girl," he whispered, pushing her hair out of the way. "Never know when to give up."

Flapping canvas heralded the healer's arrival. He ducked into the private quarters, immediately going to the unconscious woman's side. He had a stethoscope out instantly and started taking her vitals. "How was she hurt?" he asked roughly, his ears attuned to her breathing.

Cain remained at her side, one of her hands clasped within his own. "She wasn't hurt, she's just suffering from a magical drain. This is only the second time it's happened though, so we're still not sure what all of the side effects might be."

Anxious minutes passed while the healer took note of every statistic imaginable. Norris took a moment to grab Agathon and tell him to wind the party down and make sure the men got some sleep. His second's anxious glances further into the tent spurred a further response. "You can tell the men she's going to be fine. She's just tired. Now go." Agathon nodded and left, letting Norris slip back into the Queen's quarters. He silently moved to the foot of the bed and slid her boots off, hoping it might make her more comfortable.

Finally, the healer leaned back and sighed. "As far as I can tell, she's healthy. Her breathing is a bit shallow for my taste, her heartbeat just a bit erratic. But she should be fine, with a good night's rest."

Both men let go soft sighs of relief. "Good," Cain said, his hand tightening around hers. "Now if she'd just learn to stop taking such stupid risks, we'd all be better off."

The healer chuckled as he gathered his things. "The way I see it, we're better off _because_ she takes these risks. I know we have another battle tomorrow, but if you can, let her sleep; her body will wake up when it's ready." With a quick nod he exited the tent, leaving the three of them alone.

The Troop Commander remained where he was, his eyes intent on her slack face. Norris got the distinct feeling that he was intruding. But there were still some issues he needed to clear up before he could leave. "Besides the obvious, how did the rest of the mission go?"

"Fine. All the explosives are in place and the longcoats are none the wiser. We'll be ready to move in the morning."

Norris shifted uneasily. "And what should we do about Her Majesty?"

Cain's eyes finally switched to him. "What do you mean?"

"Do you still want to go through with the attack, even if she is still unconscious in the morning?"

Cain sighed and returned his gaze to DG. "I don't think we have much of a choice. The charges are set—if we wait another day we run the risk of having them discovered and our entire plan put in jeopardy."

"Her Majesty won't be happy if she wakes and finds you gone."

Cain snorted. "That's a very large understatement. She'll be beyond furious." He raised her hand to his face, turning it over so that he could press his lips to her palm. "There's no other option though," he said softly. "We'll have to move without her." With a deep sigh, he stood up and pulled the covers over her body, tucking her in like a child. Before he straightened, he placed a lingering kiss on her forehead. "Forgive me, Sweetheart," he whispered.

Oddly embarrassed, Norris discretely backed out of DG's private quarters. A few moments later, Cain joined him, running a hand tiredly over his face. "I have to go see the Colonels, make sure we're clear on the plan of attack for tomorrow. I'm going to try and make it up here to check on her again before I set out tomorrow."

"And where will you be?"

"I'll be with the men, so I can set off the charges."

Norris let his eyes slide to the closed partition, his intention clear. "You will be careful, of course, sir?"

Cain's eyes darted to the canvas as well, staring as if he could see the sleeping occupant inside. "I will be careful. If I don't make it back before I leave, you make sure you keep her safe. Make sure she stays focused and doesn't do anything stupid. Understand?"

Norris didn't have to be told twice. But he nodded anyway, to reassure the Troop Commander. "Yes, sir."

Cain clapped him on the shoulder as he passed. "Good man. Try to get some sleep, I've got a battle to organize."

The bodyguard remained at attention until the former Tin Man left. Then he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He hoped that DG would wake up before Cain left, but he wasn't overly optimistic. He would just have to trust that he could sufficiently deal with the fallout—whether it be an irate Queen or a reckless one. With DG, you could never quite tell which would take precedence. Which definitely kept his life interesting.

* * *

". . .Queen Dorothy will always keep you on your toes and her talent with magic just adds a new variable to the mix. You can never be lax on this job, because just when you think that nothing could happen, it does."

Thrace couldn't help but throw a glance at the door. "Why do I have the feeling that you are referring not just to incidents like what happened with Earl Korben, but also whatever caused Her Majesty's current injury?"

Norris snorted. "Anything that's classified as an 'incident' counts. But yes, Her Majesty's current injury does fall under this category. She wanted to check up on one of the nobleman that she had given a dressing down to earlier. And, as it always does, her curiosity got the better of her. . ."

* * *

He didn't think he'd ever felt so much of a blind panic before. But here he was, frantically pulling at the rocks in front of him, desperate to pull them away and find his Queen, uninjured. Perhaps his desperation was only matched by the Troop Commander, standing next to him, his frenzied movements enough to pull the fingernails from his hands as he clawed at the rocks.

Norris glanced behind him, cursing the slow-footed miner he had sent back to the men. Reinforcements would be there soon, armed with ropes and tools and most importantly, the manpower necessary to move the literal mountain.

Watching DG fall down a collapsed mine, her hand outstretched, her eyes wide and shocked, was a sight that would stay with him for the rest of his days. Cain's agonized yell would also last just as long. But now they were left, digging feverishly through the rubble, hoping beyond hope that she was still alive.

An odd cracking sound reverberated through the tunnel, swiftly followed by the startled cries of the miners. Given the events of the day, Norris and Cain stopped digging, looking warily at each other and wondering if the ground was going to drop out from underneath them as well. But then the odd cracking sound repeated, away from them and up the tunnel. They were about to return to their digging when one of the miners ran down, babbling about gold and green exploding lights in the cavern. The two men looked at each other again, but this time with hope—only DG could make such a spectacle.

They sprinted up the tunnel, shoving past miners and soldiers alike, all trying to make themselves useful, but really just clogging up the paths. The wide window to the cavern that DG had leaned out earlier was crowded with people looking out. Norris barked at them to get out of the way, watching with mute satisfaction as they scattered. Cain ran to the ledge, looking out. "DG?"

Her faint voice reached them and Norris almost sagged with relief. She was still alive. And coherent enough to use her magic to get help. That already improved their situation. But in his relief, he didn't hear the rest of the brief conversation and was shocked to see Cain suddenly shrug out of his duster and start dropping clothes.

"She's trapped," he said shortly, whipping off the belt and holster. "I'm going down there to try and get her out. I might need help though, so be ready. Get the men down here on some lines with the rope, ready to haul us up." He pulled off his boots and then climbed onto the ledge, looking down at the pulsing waters below him. "Ozma help us," he muttered. Then he dove off.

Norris didn't know what to think at that moment. But then Agathon appeared at his shoulder and he gathered himself, relaying the orders that Cain had just given him. He then leaned over the side, watching as Cain swam to one of the tunnels, hauling himself up. Every second of silence passed with agonizing clarity. The men further down the tunnel were shouting at each other, trying to get organized; but by the window, they were deathly silent, waiting for some sort of signal from the Troop Commander. Which came soon enough when Cain yelled for him.

Following Cain's example, Norris dropped everything except his shirt and pants. He made sure that Agathon was almost ready before he stepped up, took a deep breath and took the plunge.

The shock of the freezing water almost drove the air from his lungs. But he kept his mind focused, reminding himself that the Queen was in danger. He used the thought to propel him quickly to the tunnel and haul himself up. He didn't think he'd ever been quite so relieved to see DG before. Yes, she was clearly injured, but she was alive. And she still had the wherewithal to snipe at him.

The few minutes spent in that tunnel, frantically looking for a way to free DG were some of the tensest moments of his life. Every second the water climbed higher, coming closer to eclipsing DG's body entirely. Every second was precious—and they were getting nowhere.

But even when DG started arguing with Cain about leaving her behind, they didn't give up. They couldn't. Despite their hypothermia crippled hands, they kept working, kept trying to find a solution. But the only solution was for DG to use her magic and to pray that the ceiling didn't fall on them before they could get her out.

With Norris's heart thudding in his ears and his body shaking with the cold, he took a hold of DG's broken arm and waited until she sent a blast of magic at the rock wall. Then he pulled for all he was worth, trying to block out her scream as he dragged her up and out, crashing into the water.

Once again, being submerged in the icy lake was almost enough to knock him senseless. But he held on, grabbing a hold of DG and making sure her head stayed above the water. The cold was starting to seep in and he forced his mind to stay active, forced himself to pay attention to the ropes he was winding around first DG's and then DG and Cain's bodies. He waited as they were pulled to the top, quietly treading water, praying the knots held and that they wouldn't come plummeting back to the bottom.

Finally satisfied they were safe, Norris began to climb up the remaining rope, thankful that the men began to pull him up as well and help speed up the process. At that moment, Norris made himself a promise—DG was never leaving his sight again.

* * *

Norris calmly folded his hands over Thrace's file. "Thanks to your questions, you have learned that guarding Queen Dorothy is far from a simple task. She is impulsive and daring, fearless and compassionate. And she does not back down. But she is also the best thing to ever happen to this country. Tell me honestly, now; do you think that you would be able to protect Her Majesty, no matter the cost? Would you be able to sacrifice yourself for her, without question?"

Thrace hesitated in answering, examining himself for the truth. Norris leaned forward, ignoring the ache in his bones. "There is no shame in saying no," he said quietly. "Not everyone is suited for the task. But Her Majesty deserves nothing less than utter devotion and I will not risk her safety on anyone less than fully committed."

Another long second passed before Thrace confidently met Norris's eyes. "Yes. I would give my life for her, should the need arise. And I would never regret it."

They stared at each other in silence, the bodyguard measuring the young man, estimating his honesty and loyalty. And left satisfied. Norris finally nodded and smiled. "Good. Then I believe we are done here for the day. I will discuss this with—"

"Norris!" He cut off in surprise as DG suddenly hobbled into the room, doing an odd running hop to try and move quickly while keeping most of the weight off her injured leg. "Norris, you've got to protect me!"

The bodyguard frowned, darting a glance at Thrace who had jumped to his feet in bewilderment. "From what, My Lady?"

"From Cain!" She glanced back at the door before limping closer to his bed. She waved at Thrace. "Sit down," she hissed. "You'll give away my position!"

Thrace's shock grew, but quieted when he saw Norris's amusement. "And why do I need to protect you from him?"

Her head whipped around, scanning the entire room for a hiding place. "Toto and I were experimenting with fire today."

Norris arched an eyebrow. "And?"

"And Cain _may_ have gotten in the way. And now he's going to skin me alive. I'm going to hide. When he comes in here—and he will, because he's like a freaking bloodhound—you tell him you never saw me. Got it?"

The bodyguard bent at the waist, bowing while lying in bed. "Of course, My Lady. Thrace and I will deny any knowledge of your whereabouts."

"Thrace?" DG's confused eyes darted to the startled Lieutenant. "Oh. Hi Thrace, nice to meet you. I'll shake your hand when this is over." Heavy footsteps sounded outside the door and DG squeaked, ducking behind Norris's headboard and crouching down, out of sight.

A bare moment later, Cain stalked into the room, one hand behind his back and sharp eyes scanning the entire infirmary before settling on Norris and the young man. "Where is she?"

Though Thrace had to struggle to keep his face blank, Norris looked at the Troop Commander blandly. "Where is whom, sir?"

"Don't play with me, I know she's here. DG! Get out here!"

Norris glanced at Thrace. "If I may, what did My Lady do?"

With a growl, Cain took his hand out from behind his back and tossed something onto the bed. It was the charred remains of Cain's trusty fedora. The brim was in tact, but there was a distinct scorched, ragged hole in the center, matched by one in the back. Despite himself, Norris snorted. But he quickly schooled his face at Cain's glare—the man was his Commander, after all.

Cain took another step forward. "Norris. Tell me where she is."

With a smile, the bodyguard shook his head. "I am afraid that my loyalty lies with the Queen. And because of this loyalty, I am honor bound not to tell you that she is hiding behind my bed."

DG squawked from behind him. "You traitor!" she yelled, jumping up. Cain smirked and moved toward her. "No way, bucko, you stay right there!" She waved her cane threateningly at him. "I said I was sorry. I also said I would fix it. But I can't do that if you flay me first!"

Cain folded his arms over his broad chest. "Fine. Fix the hat. Then we're going to go back to your office and discuss what the word 'rest' means to you."

DG grumbled but shuffled out from behind Norris's bed. She pointed accusingly at her bodyguard. "I won't forget this." She grabbed Cain's damaged hat from the bed and stuck it on her head. "Back to the office then. I'll fix your hat and then you can lecture me all you want."

Cain rolled his eyes, but stepped forward to offer her his arm. She glared at him, but took it anyway, her leg clearly hurting her more than she wanted to admit. Cain glanced over his shoulder. "Sorry for the interruption, Norris, Thrace."

Norris waved away the apology. "It was no trouble, sir." Thrace stammered a reply, the sound dying before they had cleared the doorway. He then turned his eyes to the bodyguard who was smiling broadly. "There's no such thing as quiet when Queen Dorothy is around."

* * *

**I started writing this chapter the day after I posted 'Inspection.' At the time, I affectionately called it the 'Norris clip show.' But by the end, I started to call it 'the chapter from hell.' Nothing went right in this chapter. Every sentence was its own little roadblock. I probably wrote twice the amount of words, just because everything needed to be rewritten at some point. Ugh. Which is why I once again need to express my sincerest thanks to Queen Isabella. She managed to get me to stop hitting my head against the wall and saved the 'Assassination' flashback from the garbage. **

**So, I'm sorry that this chapter took an obscenely long time to write: I got a job (finally) and that has seriously cut into my writing time. I haven't abandoned it though, honest. At the moment, I have two more definite ideas for chapters, one fluffy and one flangsty. . .and I'm pretty sure the fluffy one is going to come next. Here's hoping that one goes a little easier than this one. -crosses fingers-**

**I know how annoying long waits could be, but I hope I haven't lost any of my fantastic readers. Please leave me some feedback and let me know what you think. . .constructive criticism is welcome! I'll try to get a better chapter out for you next time and I'll try to make it quicker too! Thanks for sticking with me guys, I adore you all! - Alexandra**


	11. The Final Suitor

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. Apparently, I'm incapable of writing straight fluff. So, it got a little flangsty. Oops.**

* * *

The coffee wasn't helping. When Norris had brought her a wonderful, steaming mug of the liquid, she had nearly downed it in one gulp, desperate for the caffeine. But it had barely done anything for her except burn her tongue. DG still felt like she hadn't slept in a week.

Which she hadn't, really. She'd slept, but it wasn't particularly restful. Her staff was really pressuring her about marrying and producing an heir. Apparently running off to war and then nearly dying in a mine collapse didn't do much to assuage their fears. And it didn't help matters that as far as they knew, she wasn't interested in courting anybody—including the multitude of noblemen they were beginning to throw her way. That was something she wasn't going to complain about though. As far as she was concerned, the longer they went not knowing about her and Cain, the better.

So, she wasn't sleeping well. It was one of the not so great consequences of ruling a country and always worrying about _something_. Course, the occasional nightmares didn't help any. Not that she would tell anybody that. She wasn't going to admit that while before she had dreams of being buried alive, now they tended to lean more towards drowning. Nope. Not telling anyone.

DG groaned and dug the heel of her hand into her eyes. Whether she was getting enough sleep or not, she still needed to wake up and be productive. She shook her head violently, hoping to knock her brain awake. Coughing, she picked up the nearest dispatch and forced herself to focus.

Barely a minute later, someone knocked at the door. DG sighed with relief and let the paper fall back to her desk. "Come in!"

Azkadellia walked into the room, looking well-rested enough to make DG hate her. But she smiled anyway and leaned back in her chair. "Hey, sis."

Her sister closed the door and grinned, sauntering over to the desk. "Deeg. How are you?"

The Queen arched an eyebrow. "Fine," she said, drawing the word out. Azkadellia clearly knew something. The question was what? "And you?"

"I'm very good actually." She sat in the chair in front of DG's desk, folding her hands over her crossed knees. "I heard some interesting gossip today."

"Oh, really?" DG leaned forward eagerly. Some would think that gossiping was below the Queen. But DG knew that any kind of knowledge was good. Even if it was juicy and somewhat scandalous. "Who'd you hear it from?"

"The guards."

"Huh." The guards were generally not the gossiping type, but that just made their information all the more reliable. "Alright. What are they saying?"

"That you pushed Cain against a wall and ravaged him."

DG choked on air, suddenly hacking and gasping and pounding at her chest. Az just watched in amusement as the Queen's face turned red and her eyes watered. "What?" DG squeaked. "They're saying that?!"

"Yep." Az was acting entirely too smug. "At Korben's manor."

She should of known that would get around. Face on fire, she stammered, "Th—that's not true! I never pushed him against a wall!"

"Oh, but you did ravage him?"

DG opened her mouth, but no sound came out. _Dammit_. Az grinned and leaned forward, waiting for her sister to say something. But DG could only look away. "It wasn't like that," she muttered.

"I knew it!" Az crowed. "I knew something happened at Korben's! Why haven't you told me?! Deeg, I'm your _sister!_"

"I know that," DG said, turning her eyes back. Her blush was starting to die down when she caught sight of Az's gleeful expression, which brought it back full force. "It's just. . .we didn't want to tell anybody. The longer we kept it a secret, the longer we could just be. . ._us_, just Wyatt and DG_._ The second it gets out, then everyone will be focused on us more than they already are, looking for anything to plaster across the papers."

Az's face softened. "Deeg, they already scrutinize you; it was bound to get out eventually. But you could have told me, I wouldn't have said anything."

DG reached across the desk and grasped her sister's hand. "I know, Az. But it was just easier for us if no one knew. I'm sorry."

"Alright. I guess I'll forgive you." She squeezed DG's hand. "Only if you give me all the details, right now!" DG laughed, took one look at her desk of paperwork, then pulled her sister over to the couch.

For the next hour, DG had the pleasure of being not a Queen, but a sister. By the end, she was regretting every moment she hadn't told Az, if only because she had been missing out on some serious bonding time. And frankly, she definitely needed the normalcy.

A knock at the door interrupted them. Still grinning and holding her sister's hand, DG turned towards the door. "Come!"

Cain entered then, his eyebrows going up when he saw the two girls on the couch. He immediately frowned though, when they both suddenly giggled and fell against each other. "Highness, Princess. Am I interrupting something?"

Az disentangled herself from her sister and stood up. "Not at all, Mr. Cain. We were just doing some catching up. I must be going now though, so I will take my leave." She turned to DG. "We're not done here."

DG started to snort, but it ended up in a cough. "I didn't think so. Bye, Az." Her sister grinned and quickly left, closing the door behind her.

Cain sighed and set the papers he was carrying on her desk before moving to the couch. "What was that all about?"

DG waited until he had sat down before scooting closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder as his arms went around her. One thing she loved about Cain was how she could just curl into him and he would wrap her up without a second thought. There was no better cure to a rough day than a Wyatt-hug. "I was telling Az about us."

The Troop Commander leaned his head back in surprise. "What? I thought we weren't telling anyone."

"I know. But she'd figured it out. Besides, the soldiers are gossiping about us anyway; it was only a matter of time."

"The soldiers? What are they saying?"

"That I pushed you against a wall and ravaged you." Cain choked on air and DG laughed, pulling back to see his face. "That was exactly my reaction! I tried to deny it, but Az caught me out." She paused. "Frankly, I'm surprised that it's taken this long for the rumors to get started. I did kind of jump you in front of an entire company."

Cain snorted. "Kind of? You nearly knocked me off my feet. I'm not really surprised it took this long to get out though; soldiers love to gossip as much as the maids, they're just a bit more discrete about it." His eyes examined her face, one of his hands rising to brush across her cheek. "Are you sleeping at all?" he asked quietly.

DG looked away, covering her mouth as she coughed. "I'm fine. Just the normal stress."

Callused fingers under her chin drew her eyes back to him. "Deeg, I can tell you're not fine. What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Sweetheart—"

"I'm fine, Wyatt," she said, cutting him off. Sighing, she returned her head to his shoulder, closing her eyes. "I just haven't been sleeping well lately. It's nothing to worry about."

Cain twisted his body to lean against the arm of the couch, pulling DG closer to him in the process. "You know I always worry about you. You need to sleep. It sounds like you're getting a cold and the last thing you need is to be bed-ridden for a week."

"I know, I know," she grumbled. She pulled her feet up on the couch and stretched out, nearly lying half on top of him. "Things will ease up and then I'll be able to sleep more. I've just got to ride it out until then."

Cain sighed but didn't say anything else, raising one hand to trail it up and down her arm. DG felt like purring, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep right where she was. But sadly, they both had things to do. "Did you want to talk to me about something?" she asked, her voice sleepy.

"Just scouting reports, nothing that can't wait until later."

"We should talk about them now, I won't have much time later."

"What's on your schedule?"

DG groaned. "I have to meet with Count Leighton."

Cain stiffened at the name and stopped rubbing her arm. "Leighton?" His voice took on a dark edge when he referred to the nobleman.

The Queen looked up, noting the scowl on Cain's face. "I know you don't like him."

"It's more than that. I don't like how he simpers after you, how he believes he deserves your attention. And I can't stand how he looks at you—how _any_ of them look at you—like you're just some trophy, not a beautiful, compassionate woman who is miles above them."

DG couldn't find her voice at first, struck speechless by the passion in his voice. She sat up, turning to look at Cain and his unhappy expression. She reached forward and cupped his cheek, drawing his eyes to her. "Well, I guess I'm just lucky to be in love with a man who sees more than a trophy." His eyes softened and she couldn't resist leaning in to kiss him. She had to make herself pull away. "Very, very lucky."

Cain's hands went up to frame her face, still hovering over him. "And here I was thinking _I_ was the lucky one."

With a grin, she leaned closer. "I won't disagree." He laughed as her lips closed over his once again. Before they could get very far, the most inopportune knock rattled the door. They both groaned but quickly pulled away from each other, immediately straightening clothes in a hurry. Cain stood up and gathered his papers, deliberately standing by her desk while DG remained seated on the couch, trying to comb her hair with her fingers. Inwardly, she noted she was acting like a teenager rather than the Queen of a country. Given the circumstances though, it couldn't really be avoided. A quick glance at Cain and then she called, "Come!"

Norris opened the door, an apologetic look on his face like he knew what he had interrupted. And frankly, sometimes DG didn't wonder how much her bodyguard knew. He nodded to Cain before addressing DG. "My Lady, Count Leighton is here."

DG frowned, glancing at the clock. "He's early."

"Yes, My Lady. He requested that your meeting be moved up, so that you may make better use of the sunlight."

"Better use of the sunlight?" she repeated, incredulous. "We're not hiking through the woods. Not that he would survive a day of hiking, but whatever." After a moment's consideration, she nodded. "Alright. I'm done playing nice here. Tell him I'll meet him at the garden entrance in ten minutes. I've got to change first."

Norris frowned, but nodded, quietly leaving to deliver the message and closing the door behind him. She stood up and faced Cain, noting the tight grip his hands had on the papers and the steel line of his jaw. Walking over, she carefully eased the papers out of his hands. "Wyatt, don't worry about it. I'll take care of him. In the meantime, I think there's something else you should do."

He took a deep breath, the tension ebbing away from his body. "Alright. What?"

"I think you need to go talk to Jeb about us."

His eyebrows reared upward in shock. "What?"

"You heard me. If Az heard it from the soldiers, I wouldn't be surprised if Jeb has heard it too. And you should be honest with him about it, rather than having him wonder about the gossip." A wry smile. "Besides, I doubt we'll be able to keep the secret much longer and he deserves to know."

Cain sighed, apparently not eager to have _that_ conversation with his son. "Okay, I'll talk to him. He's probably figured it out already though. Are you going to be okay?"

She snorted and grinned. "Yes. I think the better question is will Leighton be okay? I'm done playing the proper Queen, it's time to bring out the big guns."

He looked at her warily. "Just what _are_ you going to do?"

"Nothing serious, don't worry. You go see Jeb, I'll go see Leighton and we'll meet up later to compare notes." She leaned up to place a quick kiss on his lips before hurrying out, leaving a dumbfounded Troop Commander behind.

DG quickly went to her rooms and changed out of her dress, digging out a pair of wrinkled trousers and a paint-stained blouse. Her hair went up in a messy ponytail and her worn sneakers went on her feet. She hummed to herself as she left, actually rather excited about her plan.

In the past, DG had always been more than polite to each of the noblemen that made a pass at courting her—who knows what kind of diplomatic incident she could start if she flat out told them to 'go to hell.' So she smiled and laughed and went along with the suitors, even enjoying the company of a select few who seemed more interested in _her_ than the crown.

But once they started getting more persistent, DG changed tactics. She was still the epitome of charm and grace, but then she started to let some of her Other Side eccentricities leak through. For instance, when she had taken a drive out past the city walls with Lord Rhade and their car had broken down, she didn't hesitate to open the hood and start tinkering with it. Rhade's expression had been well worth it. Or when she had been forced to entertain Viscount Bem for the fifth time, a man whose boring droning never let up. Then, she'd invited him to her 'meditation time,' a ritual she claimed to hold every day. She'd crossed her legs and repeated "ohm" for a solid half hour, her thumb and forefingers together. If nothing else, it at least let her get some peace and quiet for a while.

Of course, not much beat her time with Baron Harper. He had wanted to take her horseback riding. At first, he seemed rather put out that she wasn't going to ride side-saddle. But then she tried to race him several times, gloating when she won. They were galloping back when his horse spooked and threw him to the ground, breaking his arm in the process. DG actually felt bad about that one. But it still got the Baron to lay off.

Leighton, however, didn't seem to get these memos. He kept at it, not put off in the slightest when she told him mostly true stories of her wilder escapades on the Other Side. So, today she was going to forget being Queen and be DG. If he wasn't scared off by the stories, maybe a first hand experience with the strange slipper would do it.

* * *

Two hours later, DG was dirty, tired and not all that satisfied. When she'd met Leighton at the gardens, she'd greeted him warmly, noting the way his expression shifted as he took in her disheveled appearance. With a big grin, she'd led the way into the gardens, forsaking the well-traveled pathways for some of the less pruned, more secluded areas. There, she'd promptly dropped to her knees next to a flowerbed and started digging in the soil with her hands, saying it was the best time of day for planting.

Leighton had stared at her, shocked, for a solid minute. Seeing the Queen rooting around in the dirt like a common gardener was not something he was expecting. But instead of running off, like she had hoped, he rolled up his sleeves and knelt on the cleanest part of the ground, offering to help. DG had to give him credit for that, sticking around even when he was so clearly caught off guard.

The funniest part was when she'd found a large earthworm in the soil and had tugged it out, holding it wriggling and writhing in front of Leighton's face. The man had actually squeaked before he cleared his throat and kindly asked her to pull her hand away. DG obliged, instead starting a story about how she would dig up worms as a kid and spear them onto fishing hooks to use as bait. Which naturally led to a story about how she'd gotten a hook clean through her thumb.

Leighton looked a bit green after that one.

At the end of the day though, DG couldn't be sure whether she had scared him off or not. He stayed with her the entire time, helping her plant flowers and asking questions about the specific bulbs. It was clear he didn't have a good time, but she didn't know how persistent he was going to be. So, she was stalking back to her office, covered in dirt, her hair wild about her face and her clothes in serious need of a wash.

Agathon, Norris's second in command, was pacing in front of her office doors when she rounded the corner. She frowned and glanced at her bodyguard, who shrugged. Still, his hand drifted down to his sidearm as they approached. "Agathon."

"Sir!" He snapped off a salute to Norris and then bowed to DG, his face carefully neutral once he took in her appearance. "My Lady, Marquis Hunt is waiting for you in your office."

DG knew she didn't have anyone by that name scheduled for a meeting today. In fact, she didn't know anybody by that name. "Wait, who?"

"Marquis Hunt," Norris said, jumping in at her confused expression. "You have never met him—he has not attended any of the balls and was unable to attend your Coronation. He lives out at the furthest reaches of the Southern lands and claimed that the state of the roads prevented him from making the celebration."

"Excuses, excuses," DG muttered, staring at the closed door. "Any idea why he's here?"

She could hear Agathon grit his teeth. "He said, he wanted the opportunity to meet our fair Queen and get to know her better."

DG groaned. "Which is code for, _make a pass at courting her_. Ugh. Well, if he's going to show up unannounced, then I can't be bothered to clean up for him. Let's get this over with." Agathon went to the door and opened it, letting DG into the room, Norris right on her heels.

Marquis Hunt was not quite what she expected. He was certainly pushing the middle-aged bracket, his hair graying at the temples and his face deeply lined. Bushy eyebrows rested over sharp brown eyes that went to her immediately. His thin mouth opened in a sigh. "How much longer will I have to wait for you Queen?"

DG stopped, confused. "I'm sorry?" she said, wondering if she'd heard him right.

Hunt rolled his eyes. "Did you not hear me? Queen Dorothy, how much longer will she be delayed?"

The guard standing in the corner opened his mouth to correct him but DG quickly shook her head. She couldn't believe it, but this guy had no idea who she was. She couldn't decide if he was really that isolated or just that stupid. Sure, she didn't exactly look like a Queen at the moment, but her picture was everywhere—surely he could figure it out. But then again, if he couldn't, she was going to have fun with that.

With a warning look to Norris asking him to back off, she curtseyed in front of the nobleman, ignoring the shower of dirt off the top of her head. "Forgive me, My Lord, I do not know. Her Majesty will be along shortly. Is there anything I can get for you while you wait?"

He yawned and waved a jeweled hand. "No, not at the moment." He eyed her with disdain as she straightened and started to straighten things in the room. "Do you always serve your monarch covered in such dirt?"

DG gathered some of the books sitting on her desk and started to shelve them. "No, My Lord. I was tending to Her Highness's garden and was told to come and clean up her office. I was not given time to change." She went back for another stack and paused. Sitting next to her desk was a bucket of ice, a bottle of champagne chilling. _Oh, he had to be kidding_. "Did Her Majesty request the champagne for your meeting?"

The Marquis's self-satisfied smile had her grinding her teeth. "No, that was my request. I hope to spend some. . .quality. . .time with the Queen." She barely managed to repress a shudder. Instead she focused on the desk, shuffling papers together, putting things in drawers—anything to look busy. "Of course," he said. "Should the Queen be busy, perhaps you could share it with me."

DG nearly dropped the crystal paperweight she was holding, so shocked and repulsed by the leer in his voice. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Norris fingering the grip of his gun, his face murderous. She didn't want to think what Cain would do if he were here. "Uh, I do not think that would be appropriate, My Lord." She carefully set the paperweight back down, lest she chuck it at him.

Hunt raised an eyebrow. "I think it would be appropriate to keep me entertained. And if the Queen won't do it, then the staff should." DG couldn't hide the fact that her mouth dropped wide open. Not only was he openly soliciting a supposed maid, but he was making some incredibly overt remarks about the monarch—which was rather frowned upon. The nobleman chuckled at her. "Don't look so surprised. This would not be the first time I've had a comely maid attend to me. Perhaps that blonde Beka girl on the fourth floor could join us as well."

DG couldn't breathe anymore, she was so horrified by what she was hearing. "Beka?" she asked, barely able to hear her own voice for the ringing in her ears.

"Yes, one of your fellow maids. She didn't seem particularly receptive either, but she'll do her duty, like any good servant. You both will."

And that was the final straw. Without any hesitation, DG stalked around her desk, walked right up to Marquis Hunt and punched him. He yelled in shock, one hand going to his bleeding nose, the other reaching for her. But he never even got close as Norris and the other guard were instantly on him, calling for the others.

"You stupid girl!" Hunt yelled, clutching his obviously broken nose. "I'll have you beaten for this!"

"You son of a bitch," she seethed, her eyes snapping at him. "_You'll_ have _me_ beaten? Maybe the next time you come to visit the Queen, you should figure out what she looks like before you start talking." Hunt's eyes widened, suddenly realizing who he had been addressing the entire time. She looked up at her guards, all now in her office. "Lock him up." They dragged him out of the room, Hunt still moaning about his broken nose. She turned to Norris's second next. "Agathon, go find Beka, one of the maids on the fourth floor and bring her to me. Make sure she knows she's not in trouble, but I want to talk to her." He nodded and left.

DG then calmly walked over to the bucket of ice, took out the champagne bottle and then shoved her fist inside. She hissed at the cold contact, but her hand _hurt_ after punching that guy. She flexed her fingers carefully, wincing as they throbbed. She didn't regret it—it felt damn good to punch that self-righteous bastard. She also didn't care what kind of incident this would start; it was worth it.

"What the hell just happened?"

She turned to see Cain standing in the doorway, his eyes wide and hand on his gun. DG sighed and glanced at Norris, who was still working off his anger, apparently. "Marquis Hunt crossed the line. I had to show him the way back. Nothing to worry about."

"_Nothing to worry about?_ There's blood on the carpet and I saw half your guard drag the guy away. And what's wrong with your hand?" He was instantly at her side and gripped her wrist, pulling her hand out of the bucket. She whimpered as her split knuckles grazed the ice. The swelling was minimal right now, but still evident. Cain reached into an inner pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, trying to clean the dirt away from the open cuts. "What happened?" he asked tersely.

"Hunt made some comments. And I punched him for it."

"You _what_?"

Cain grabbed an ice cube and smoothed it over her knuckles. DG hissed. "I broke his damn nose. And I don't regret it, not even for a second."

"I don't think I want to know what he said," the Troop Commander said darkly. "If it made you lash out, then I'll probably want to kill him. But you need to tell me anyway."

"Your Majesty?" They both looked up at the door. Agathon was standing there, his hand on the shoulder of a short blonde girl, her eyes wide. "This is Beka."

DG smiled. "Great. Please come in, Beka. Have a seat." She waved at one of the more comfortable chairs and the girl hesitantly moved towards them. DG moved to join her, but Cain pulled her back, still holding her hand.

"You have to keep ice on this," he said. "At least until we can get you to the healer."

Rolling her eyes, she grabbed the bucket of ice off the desk and stuffed her hand inside it once again. It wasn't the prettiest solution, but it would do for now. Beka watched her with wide eyes, perched on the barest edge of the chair, ankles crossed, hands folded tightly in her lap. DG smiled reassuringly at her as she sat down opposite her, resting the bucket between her knees. "You're not in any trouble, you don't have to worry."

Beka nodded uncertainly. "That was what Mr. Agathon said."

"Right. Well, I needed to talk to you about a. . .an encounter, you might have had earlier today. Now, I want you to be honest with me. No matter what you say, you will not be in trouble. I'm not the Queen right now, I'm just DG and I want to help you. Do you understand?" The girl nodded, biting her lip. "Good. I've heard that you saw Marquis Hunt earlier today."

Beka's face instantly whitened at the name. "Y–yes, My Lady."

Her reaction told DG all she needed to know, but she still needed the facts. "I'm sorry if this is unpleasant, but I need to know the truth. What did the Marquis say to you?"

The maid's head dropped, her eyes on the ground and her voice small. "He asked if I would join him later in his rooms. When I said that I would not want to get in trouble, he told me that I would surely be in trouble if I did not show up."

DG felt sick, that such a thing could happen under her very nose and by people who were supposed to be in power. A quick glance to the side showed Cain's livid face. Her hand throbbed again and she suddenly wished she had done more than break his nose. "Did he touch you at all?"

"He just grabbed my arm." She rolled back the sleeve of her dress to show a darkening bruise on her bicep. "When I pulled away, he said he would look for me tonight and that I was to not be late."

The Queen nodded, biting back a mountain of profanity that begged to be let free. "I'm sorry that that happened to you, Beka. And I wish I could say it wouldn't happen again, but I can't be sure. I want you to know though—and I want you to tell your friends too—that you _never_ have to submit to a man like that. He has no power over you. And furthermore, if it ever happens again, I want you to come tell me so I can deal with him. Beyond everything else, I want you to be safe and that includes from harassment. Do you understand?"

Beka nodded, clearly relieved. "Yes, My Lady, thank you. If I may ask, how did you find out about the Marquis? We were alone in the hallway when he spoke to me."

DG sighed. "When I came into my office, he thought I was a maid." She smiled and lifted her hand out of the bucket. "I broke his nose though."

Beka's shocked but joyful expression fell to the background. Cain was suddenly at her side, eyes hard as he stared at her. "Did he proposition you?" he asked, voice almost inaudible with rage.

_Uh oh._ DG bit her lip, knowing exactly what was going to happen. "Kinda."

And he was gone. DG made a desperate grab for him as he passed. "Wyatt!" She only ended up upsetting the bucket and dumping half the ice in her lap. She shrieked and jumped up, pushing the cubes to the floor. She turned around, but Cain was already gone, apparently on his way to kill the Marquis. "Norris, stop him!"

Her bodyguard grimaced but disappeared, running after the furious Troop Commander. She smacked her hand against her forehead, then yelped because she'd used her abused hand to do so. "Well, isn't this peachy." Turning back around, she saw Beka still seated, eyes wider than before, if that was possible. "Beka, thank you for being honest with me. I mean it though, if anything like this happens again, don't hesitate to come tell me. Okay?" The girl nodded. "Good. Why don't you go to the healer and have your arm looked at. Then you can take the rest of the day off; I think you've earned it."

Beka rose and curtseyed. "Thank you, My Lady. I will make sure to tell the others what you said."

"Thanks, Beka." The maid quickly scurried out of the room. DG sank back onto the chair, but jumped back up with shout, having sat onto the melting ice cubs. Grumbling, she scooped them back into the bucket and stuck her hand inside once again, deciding to wait for them to return. Normally, she would chase after Cain and try to calm him down, but she honestly didn't want to get in the way of _that_ anger. So instead she laid down on the couch and put the bucket on the floor, letting her hand hang over into the growing water.

Cain was anything but quiet when he stomped back into the room, going straight to the couch. DG cracked open an eye to look up at him. "Is he still alive?"

"For now." He dropped to his knees next to her and pulled her hand out of the icy water, carefully straightening her fingers. She whimpered but quickly bit the inside of her cheek to stifle any other sound. "Did he touch you?"

"No." She turned her head to the side, watching him tend to her hand. "He made his demands, I punched him and then Norris got him before he could retaliate. That was it." She smiled faintly. "I could almost thank him though, he helped me make a decision."

"And what was that?"

"Tomorrow, I'm making an announcement that I'm madly in love with my Troop Commander and everyone else should just give up."

Cain paused, turning his eyes to hers. "Are you sure?"

She snorted. "After what happened today? Positive. All these suitors do is try my patience and waste my time. Besides, it's not like any of them could even come close to you."

His eyes softened as he reached forward to smooth her hair behind her ear, leaving his hand on her cheek. "And none of them could ever appreciate you. I'm tired of sneaking around anyway, I'd rather that all of them knew you were mine."

The possessive word was said with such awe and tenderness, like he could hardly believe that she had chosen him. She turned her head and kissed the inside of his palm. "Always," she whispered.

Cain smiled and leaned down to kiss her, keeping it regrettably short and light. "I love you, DG. Now, let's get you to the healer and have your hand looked at." She grabbed his other hand, letting him help her to her feet. She coughed once she straightened, rubbing a hand under her dirt-smudged nose. "And then you should get cleaned up and take the rest of the day off."

She rolled her eyes. "Wyatt, I've gotten nothing done today, I can't just play hooky, as much as I would like to."

"I'll take a look at your desk, see if anything needs your immediate attention. Otherwise, it can wait. You work too hard, Deeg. Everyone needs a break."

"Tell you what. I'll take a break, but only if you join me. You work just as hard as I do and you haven't taken a vacation either."

He sighed. "If that's what it'll take. Fine, I'll take a break too. We can enjoy our last day of peace before the reporters start hounding us for their next headline."

DG laughed and looped her arm through Cain's. As they passed through the door, she leaned against him, sighing contentedly. Cain turned his head and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. The guards kept their faces carefully neutral, not reacting to this sudden, blatant affection. But inside, they were all cheering.

* * *

**I swear when I first thought of this idea, it was going to be pure cotton candy. But then somehow, it took a more flangsty turn. Figures. Oh well. But you know what? This one didn't fight me and wrote fairly easily, so I'm happy with it. Woo!**

**Here's the contest bit for today: in the last chapter, a couple of you caught on that Agathon and Thrace were names from Battlestar Galactica. So, the question is, which sci-fi show did I steal names from this time? Huh, huh? I don't think it's that hard to figure out, but who knows. Hehe.**

**I really don't have much to say about this chapter. The next one will be definite flangsty, none of this sneak-up-on-you stuff. There's actually a hint of foreshadowing in this as to what's going to happen, but it's very minimal and doesn't quite do the next chapter justice. You'll find out. So, please, as always, leave me a pretty little review and let me know what you think. I value your opinions and love to hear from you, whether you're one of my constant readers or a first timer. Drop me a line! Until next time, I hope you enjoyed it!**


	12. The First Epidemic

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. I apologize for the long wait as well as the long author's note at the bottom. Many many thanks go out to MaddyCain, who helped me so much with this chapter by listening to my ramblings and offering a second opinion. This chapter also goes out to Effie. You know **_**exactly**_** what you did. I hope you're happy.**

* * *

Fists clenched, indistinct muttering, cheeks stained red. The Queen of the O.Z. stalked down the corridor, a veritable storm cloud indoors. Her guards trailed behind her, perhaps half a step further away than normal, unwilling to be closer to their raging monarch. DG ignored them all as she moved to her office and closed the door behind her, barely restraining herself from slamming the thick wood.

Azkadellia was sitting in front of the desk and looked up in surprise at DG's entrance. She raised one elegant eyebrow. "Something the matter?"

DG snorted. "Why would anything be the matter? Nope, everything's just _fine_." She stomped over to her desk, dropping into her chair and letting her forehead hit the table with an audible _thump_.

"Did you not get enough sleep last night, little sister?" Az asked, more amused than anything.

"Oh, no I got plenty of sleep. Tons. In fact, that's the problem—I've been able to sleep _too_ much." DG raised her head and glared. "Thanks for bringing it up."

Hardly daunted, Az frowned. "Deeg, what in the world is wrong with you? Are you having nightmares or something?"

The Queen flinched. "I'd forgotten about the nightmares until now, so thanks for that. No, that's not it. You could just say I'm a little frustrated right now."

"Frustrated?"

"Very. Very. _Frustrated_."

Az stared at her sister before she snorted and burst out laughing. "Oh, you must be joking."

DG growled deep in her throat, breaking off as she was overcome with a coughing fit. "Believe me, I'm not. But no matter what I say or do, he refuses to do it."

Az snorted again and had to clamp a hand over her mouth at her sister's glare. "Sorry. But that's kind of funny." She tried to compose herself, but failed miserably. "Well, besides this um. . .setback, it appears that you are happy together."

"Oh, we are. Everything's wonderful. Except for that annoying little fact that Cain won't sleep with me. And it wouldn't be so bad if we didn't get so damn _close _every time. Last night I had his shirt off and was going for the pants when he finally seemed to realize that we were on the bed and both half-naked. He jumped away from me like I was going to bite him, got dressed and left. I couldn't believe it." DG let her head fall back to her desk, trying to hide the fact that her cheeks were burning. Part of it was the humiliation of rejection. The other part was just having to admit it to her sister, who was gloating in her discomfort. "He's too damn _noble_ for his own good. That's all. I tell him that I'm on birth control, but he says that nothing is one hundred percent effective. He says we can't risk the scandal if I were to get pregnant out of wedlock. I cause a scandal every time I step out of the palace, what's one more?"

Several long seconds passed while Az fought to keep her voice straight. "Deeg, he's right you know."

The Queen's head reared up. "Oh no you don't, don't take his side!"

Rolling her eyes, Az continued. "While it might be. . .uncomfortable. . .for you to wait, it's the best thing. It's not just about having a child out of wedlock, it's about the continued line of the monarchy. If you had a child with Cain, right now, that child could never take the throne. Even if Cain eventually became your Consort, the child was not born out of the sanctified union and is barred from the crown. There would be a lot of strife surrounding the child and I don't think that is something that you would want."

DG was staring at her sister, mouth open, eyes horrified. "_God_," she squeaked, closing her mouth with a snap. "You would think I would know something like that. Now I just feel even more like an idiot."

"Don't," Az replied, shaking her head. "You know, Deeg, you are doing such a wonderful job adjusting to it all and restoring this country that sometimes we all forget that you don't know everything. Besides, this wasn't exactly something that your advisors were going to talk to you about."

DG shuddered theatrically. "Yeah, I really don't need Sex Ed from the decrepit. Ugh." She turned and glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed. "I really should apologize to Wyatt then for storming out on him, but I don't have time to get him alone. I've got to make some appearances in the city today—you know, break some ground, kiss some babies, open a mall or two." She stood up and began to collect her things, pausing when another coughing fit overtook her.

Az frowned. "Deeg, maybe you shouldn't go out today, you don't sound so great."

The Queen waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine, nothing I can't handle."

Her sister wasn't entirely convinced though. "Well, if you're sure. . ."

"I am sure. It's just a cough. In case you haven't noticed, it's been going around. Besides, we all know my immune system is crap; naturally, this would be something I catch."

"Yes, well, please don't let it get to a point that you're bedridden again."

"Yeah, yeah." DG rolled her eyes and shooed her sister out of her office. "I'll keep you posted."

* * *

Two days later, the first cases were reported.

Three elderly citizens fell suddenly ill with a sweating fever and rasping cough. Before anyone could diagnose the problem, the seniors developed chills and gradually became less coherent until they fell unconscious altogether, trapped in delirious dreams. Once asleep, they did not wake up.

Three days after the first symptoms appeared, the patients were dead. And no one had any idea what they had been struck down with or if it was going to reappear.

All they did know, was that the elders fell ill after they returned from an outing to see the Queen and shake her hand.

* * *

"Is this really necessary, Abigail?" DG whined as she held her arm out, trying not to squirm as the blonde haired healer drew blood from her arm. "I'm fine."

Norris snorted. "My Lady, the last coughing attack nearly knocked you off your feet. Clearly, you're not okay."

The Queen glared at her guard. "It's just a cough. I don't know what you're all so worked up about!"

"We would rather be safe than sorry, Your Majesty," Abigail said, moving quickly and efficiently. "There has been an outbreak of a new illness in the city and we want to be sure that you are not infected. After all, you have a penchant for contracting most viruses."

DG grumbled and looked away from the triumphant looks her guard and the healer exchanged. That was a severe understatement. Thanks to the years she had spent on the Other Side, DG's body hadn't been able to build up the antibodies needed to protect against the normal, run of the mill Zone pathogens. Therefore, where someone might only need a day to recover from something as simple as a cold, DG ended up incapacitated for nearly a week, her body struggling to fight off a disease it has never encountered before.

Frankly, DG thought it was grossly unfair. She put in her penance as a child, chicken pox and all; she shouldn't have to fall prey to the Zone bacteria too. But sadly, she didn't have much say in the matter. Which left her medical staff more paranoid than usual when a new illness broke out.

"Well, what's this new illness that's running amok? And why haven't I heard about it?"

Abigail shook her head. "Only a few people have fallen ill so far, and they are all elderly, those whose immune systems are already weakened. The numbers were too few to bring to your attention. We're treating it as best we can and we hope to have a cure soon."

DG nodded. "Please keep me updated on your progress; I'd like to know how it all turns out. I've got to make another appearance in the city tomorrow, but I'll try and steer clear of the lepers." The healer frowned and DG rolled her eyes. "Never mind. Come on, Norris, let's go."

Norris bowed and stepped to the side. He smiled at Abigail, inclining his head at her before exiting. DG stared at him as they walked down the corridor, a devious smirk on her face. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"That little smile at the end there! You don't smile at people."

Norris frowned and glanced at the Queen. "Of course I do."

"Hardly." She paused and grinned, twirling around to walk backwards and meet Norris's eyes. "You like her!"

"Don't be absurd," Norris replied. DG raised an eyebrow and he quickly coughed. "My Lady," he added. "Abby and I are just friends."

DG just grinned wider. "Oh, _Abby_ is it? Oh no, you definitely like her."

"I don't know what you're talking about, My Lady." He kept his eyes straight ahead, raising a hand to his mouth as he coughed.

"Are you sick, Norris? We can go back, have her draw some blood from you too."

He barely cut off a frustrated reply. "I am fine, My Lady. I'm sure I've just caught your cough. No need to worry." He stepped forward and opened her office door, blatantly hurrying her inside. He closed the door behind her, just in time to muffle her laugh.

* * *

The next day, six more deaths were reported. All had the same sudden, mysterious symptoms. A quick tally from all the medical centers in Central City revealed that each hospital had several cases of their own, in varying stages. Not including the nine already deceased, another twenty were well on their way.

* * *

"My darling, I'm not sure I understand."

DG sighed and folded her hands in her lap, trying to remain strong. Her mother, father and sister were sitting across from her, confused and apprehensive. "I want you to leave the city and go to Finaqua."

Ahamo shook his head. "Spitfire, we're not leaving you here when you're in the middle of a crisis."

"It's not a crisis. . .at least not yet. Though I guess it's well on its way. We have fifty reported deaths and a hundred more sick with symptoms. This illness is attacking everyone: young, old, healthy, frail. And everyone I've talked to is utterly clueless about what it is or where it came from." She paused and took a breath, trying to rein in the despair leaking into her voice. "The point is, no one is immune. And I would feel a lot better if I knew that you were away from the worst of it and safe."

Azkadellia folded her arms over her chest. "Deeg, you're not immune either. In fact, you're already sick, so you're worse off than any of us."

"It doesn't matter." DG bit her lip and glanced to the wide, bay windows of her office. The city stretched out beyond, the facades of the buildings painfully crumbling under the harsh dayglow. She made a mental note to start shoring up shoddy construction once this was all over with. "I need to stay here and be with my people. If I'm here, they'll have hope that this will all be over soon. And if that's all I can do. . . well, it's better than nothing."

Lavender sighed and looked at her conflicted husband and then her frustrated eldest. "Beyond my concern for your well-being, we do not want to leave you here by yourself."

DG smiled. "I won't be by myself. Cain'll be hovering, I'm sure and Glitch will keep me on my toes. I've got plenty of moral support, no worries." She raised a hand to cover her mouth as she coughed. "Please," she rasped, throat sore with abuse. "Please go to Finaqua. I won't order you. But I would feel a lot better if I knew you were there."

Lavender stood up. "If that is what you wish, my Angel, we shall go. But only as long as you write everyday to tell me what is going on."

The Queen stood as well and leaned forward to hug her mother. "Of course. Every day. Thank you."

Ahamo hugged her next. "Just promise me you won't catch this thing."

DG closed her eyes. She wished she could. "Trust me, I don't plan on it. I'm sure I'll be fine. I've got the entire medical staff hovering over me, it shouldn't be a problem."

With one last kiss, her parents quietly left. Azkadellia, however, was not ready to go. "I don't like this."

DG raised an eyebrow. "You think I do? I would love to have you near, but I don't want to take the chance you'll get sick. Your health is even more suspect than mine is and that's saying something."

Az sighed and bit her lip. Then she lunged forward and crushed her sister in a fierce hug. "Please be careful, Deeg. The country couldn't stand to lose you. But I don't think any of us would recover if you died again."

Despite the heartfelt moment, DG couldn't help but snort. "Yeah, well, I don't exactly want to experience that again either. I'll be careful. Besides, you know Cain is going to be even more paranoid about me than normal."

The princess grinned. "Very true. With your track record? You'll be lucky if he lets you walk the palace, let alone go out in the city." She sobered up. "I want a letter every day. And I want you to be honest to Mr. Cain about everything—I won't be around to see if you're lying and putting on a brave face. And I also want you to call us back if it gets to be too much. And—"

"Az!" DG cut her sister off with a laugh. "Geez, I get it. Stop worrying and go pack. I'll be here when you're done and you can continue your tirade then, if you think you have to."

"Oh, I'll have to." Az took her sister's advice though, kissing her on the cheek and then hurrying out of the room. DG sank into her chair once they were gone and dropped her head into her hands. She knew she was doing the right thing, but it still hurt to send her family away. She could use the support, that wasn't a lie. But she also could do with the peace of mind that would come with knowing they were safe and relatively out of harm's way. Their safety would always take priority over her comfort and desires, no matter what.

Cracking bones made her jerk up in surprise, stopping when she saw Cain crouched in front of her. She hadn't even heard him come in. He grabbed her hands in each of his own, gently squeezing them. "I wish you'd go with them."

DG shook her head. "I can't, Wyatt. The people out there are sick and dying and no one knows why. I'm not going to run from this like a scared rabbit."

"Sweetheart, we're just worried about you."

"I know that, but it doesn't change anything. What would that tell the people, if they see their Queen fleeing the city after she tried to reassure them that everything was under control?"

"That doesn't matter. Instead, what would the people think if the Queen they so love and depend on suddenly comes down with the illness that they are all fearing?"

DG leaned forward and put her hands on either side of his face. "That won't happen. I mean it when I say I'm going to be careful."

"It doesn't matter how careful you are, Deeg. Right now, this thing is unpredictable, which means that any precautions you take might still put you at risk."

She sighed. "I'm not leaving, Wyatt. I'm sorry. I'll try not to come in contact with anyone that has contracted it, but that's all I can promise right now."

He paused, considering. "What if someone close to you were diagnosed with the illness? Then what?"

"What do you mean?"

"Say Norris caught it. Or Agathon. Or any of your dozens of advisors. They're in contact with you every day. What if one of them got sick? Would you leave then, knowing that someone close to you has it?"

DG studied Cain for a moment. "I'll think about it," she said quietly. She still didn't want to leave. But she could at least promise to consider leaving if the worst was happening.

Knowing that was the best he was going to get out of her for the day, Cain leaned forward and kissed her quickly before standing, knees cracking once again. "Thank you. I'm going to go down to the infirmary, talk to Abigail and get the latest reports."

The Queen immediately perked up at the mention of the blonde medic. "Abigail, you say? Can I come with?"

The Troop Commander frowned. "Of course. But why?"

DG threw a covert glance at the closed door. "Norris has a crush."

Cain's eyebrows rose. It was hard to think of the barrel-chested man as having something as juvenile as a 'crush.' "You're joking."

"Nope. He tells me that he and _Abby_ are just friends, but I know better, what with their secret looks. You'll see it as soon as they're in the same room together, I swear."

Cain rolled his eyes but held out his arm to DG, who took it, grinning. "I reserve judgement until I see anything. Come on, let's go check if we're making any progress in developing a cure."

* * *

One hundred deaths. One hundred poor souls that barely lasted three days from the first appearance of symptoms till their last breath. Mothers, fathers, daughters and sons. All struck down by an illness that did not discriminate, did not care about health or vitality. To make matters worse, there was still no cure. And with the epidemic in full swing, dozens more—if not hundreds—would die before the illness was finished.

* * *

DG was standing on her balcony, white hands gripping the railing as she stared down at the streets. Even from high above, she could see the differences that had started to leak into everyday life. People still moved about the streets, but now they were hurried, hunching forward, a hand held over their mouths, shying away from any unwanted human contact. Even though it wasn't nearly cold enough to warrant it, most wore heavy jackets that covered their arms and stretched toward the ground, as if the canvas could stop the invisible pathogen like a stiff breeze. The most pronounced change though was in the sounds. The same city vibrations reached her ears, but there was a muted, fearful quality to it. And always accompanied by a wailing undertone, mourning the loss of the loved.

And DG could do nothing about it. She couldn't fight against the unseen, couldn't cure it by throwing soldiers or money at it. Even her magic was useless. _She_ was useless. And it was the worst feeling in the world.

Two arms encircled her tense body and pulled her back against a broad chest. She didn't relax into Cain's embrace as she normally did. Instead, she kept her hands tightly clenched around the railing and her eyes fixed on the people below.

"What are you thinking?" he asked quietly.

"Stupid question."

He raised an eyebrow at her sharp response. "Deeg?"

She blew out a noisy breath through her nose. "Listen to them. You can hear the despair from here. All of those people are terrified of going home and finding the ones they love sick. And there's nothing I can do. They are suffering and looking to me for guidance and I can't do a fucking thing about it."

Cain's hands started at her shoulders and trailed down her arms, ending at her hands. Gently, he pried her fingers away from the railing then pulled her back against him. "You're doing a lot. You've organized every healer to help combat the illness, making sure that everyone in the city is within easy reach of treatment. You've made sure that the supplies have never let up, that they want for nothing. You've set the labs in the palace as a central command, organizing the search for a cure and making sure there is always someone working.

"But most importantly, you've gone out there every single day and talked to those that aren't sick, those that are in the same position you are. You told them that you were doing everything you could to find a cure. You reassured them that you knew their suffering, knew their fear. You proved to them that you cared. And that has made all the difference. I'd say you've done quite a bit."

She shook her head, still refusing to relax against him. "It's not enough. As long as people are still dying, it will never be enough."

Cain sighed and gently turned her around. "Listen to me, DG. What you are doing is more than anyone could ask. You have managed to give these people the only thing that they need more than a cure."

"And what's that?"

"Hope. You've given them hope that, because their Queen has not left them, because she is working hard to save them, they are going to survive."

She bit her lip. "You really think it helps that much, having them see me?"

"I know it does. You're doing all you can, DG. No one can ask for anything else."

She opened her mouth to reply, but got nothing out beyond a lung-bruising cough. Hands firmly over her mouth, her eyes watered as she shook, her body wracked with each great gasping cough. She was barely aware of her knees giving way and of Cain picking her up. He moved toward the bed and gently set her down over the covers.

He turned away then, preparing to call out for the healer, but DG's fingers closed around his wrist, stopping him. "Don't," she rasped, her lungs still convulsing and struggling for steady air. "I'm fine. Just give me a minute."

Cain shook his head. "You are not fine, you're worse than yesterday. I'm going to get Abigail up here and she's going to give you some medicine."

"I don't need it."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't. She has more important things to worry about."

Cain sat down on the bed and leaned over, grabbing her face between his hands. "_Nothing_ is more important than you. Do you understand me, DG? You are the most important thing to this country. You are the most important thing to _me_. And I won't let you ignore this while it just gets worse."

DG met his fierce stare silently as she waited for her breathing to recover. Then she reached up and clasped his hands within her own before replying quietly. "Okay, I get it. You can go get her. But only if she's not in the middle of some breakthrough or something, I won't interrupt a medical mystery with something as mundane as my cough."

The smallest of smiles broke out on his lips. He kissed her forehead before pulling away. "I'll be right back, Sweetheart. Just try and rest."

Against her will, her eyelids began to sink, pulling her under. And yet even in her dreams, she continued to worry about what she might be missing with this epidemic.

* * *

Steadily, the death toll continued to rise. The people had moved past panic. Now, there was only despair. They could only face each day with the certainty that someone else they loved was going to die. Every reassurance that a cure was on the way rang false. Because no matter how quickly salvation came, it was not fast enough to save the hundreds already in the ground.

And even the Queen's bright, confident smile in the face of disaster couldn't do enough to salvage their fracturing hope.

* * *

DG stared unseeingly at the paper in her hand, her fingers drumming against the desk. Again, she looked at the clock, silently urging it to move faster. Barely an hour ago she had stopped in to check on Abigail and get some more medicine for her cough—which, according to the blonde medic, had escalated into an O.Z. form of bronchitis, nearly pneumonia. Once there though, she could tell that something had changed. Healers were running back and forth, dragging out old records, running new tests. A dim hum of excitement was in the air. Abigail had distractedly sent her back to her office, saying she would give her an update as soon as she had something solid to report.

But DG could do nothing productive while she waited. Her work remained untouched. She nearly leapt out of her chair when there was a soft knock at the door. "Come!"

Abigail did not enter the room though. Raw shuffled in with a quiet smile, closing the door behind him. Though the Queen had been hoping for the medic, a visit from her friend was just as good.

"Raw!" She hurried around her desk, hugging the Viewer enthusiastically. "How are you doing?"

"Raw fine," he said, patting DG's hand once she pulled away. "But DG not fine."

She sighed and plopped down in one of the chairs in front of her desk, Raw dropping into the other. "How could I be fine when everything's falling apart? Once we have a cure and people stop dying, then I'll be able to rest and things will get better." She studied her friend closely. "Be honest, Raw, how are you? I know this has to be killing you."

Despite all their best efforts, the Viewers could do nothing against this epidemic. The theory was that since the virus attacked the internal organs, including the brain, their healing abilities were naturally limited and ineffective. They had had a small amount of success in delaying the progression of the disease, but it was nothing beyond a few hours—nothing worthwhile. So, since he couldn't do anything to save the people, he was left to simply identify those already infected.

The Viewer fiddled with his coat. "Raw sad. So much pain in city, hurts heart. But Raw feel hope too. Hope in DG."

DG bit her lip and chuckled dryly. "I wish I had their confidence. I'm just as lost as everyone else in this. The difference is they can look somewhere else for answers. I'm stuck looking to myself and I've got nothing."

Raw reached out and placed a hand on her knee. "DG no need answers yet. DG just need courage to keep going."

"You might have to lend me some."

The Viewer moved his hand to her heart. "All DG need, here."

The Queen leaned forward and hugged the Viewer again, holding on longer than before. "Thanks, Raw," she whispered. She pulled away and was about to say something else when Raw's head suddenly whipped to the door, a second before Norris hastily entered.

"My Lady, I think we should move you to Finaqua. Now."

DG stood up, eyes wide. "What? Why, what's going on?"

"One of your close staff has fallen ill. Since he is in contact with you frequently throughout the day, there's too much of a chance that you'll contract the illness. I think it best we evacuate you immediately.'

Norris's voice was harried, laced with panic and just a hint of anguish. DG frowned, refusing to move. "Who is it?"

Her bodyguard grew more agitated with each delay. "My Lady?"

"Who on my staff has fallen ill with the disease? If I have to leave, I want to know who it is."

Norris glanced at Raw, indecision plain on his face. But at DG's obstinate pose, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep the information from her. His words were quiet, bare wisps of breath. "Commander Cain."

The breath rushed from DG's body and she reached out blindly to grab a hold of Raw and keep herself upright. "What?" she gasped, desperately wishing she hadn't heard him right. But she knew she had.

"Commander Cain fell ill sometime during the night, we're not sure when. Please, My Lady, we must move you."

But she wasn't listening to him anymore. She suddenly took off, pushing past her bodyguard and sprinting down the corridor, blocking out the sounds of her guard thundering after her and her own wheezy breathing. She took the stairs two at a time and grabbed pillars to help swing her around corners, refusing to sacrifice any momentum. Finally, she came to the private quarters and rushed towards Cain's room.

Two men stood outside his door, talking quietly. They both turned in shock as she barreled toward them, not sparing them a glance. Norris yelled at her from down the hall, begging her to wait. But she couldn't. She shoved the door to Cain's room open without knocking, breathlessly hovering in the doorway.

Cain was laying in bed, barely visible in the cracked sunlight breaking between the drawn curtains. Even in the dim light, she could see the sweat glistening on his skin, all down his arms to his hands, clenched in the sheets. His bare chest was heaving with a rasping cough, the sound a death knell to her battered ears. When the door banged open though, he turned his head to the sound and groaned. "DG," he coughed, shaking his head.

A rough hand landed on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off and moved forward, her feet clanking lead with every step. She held at his bedside, struck dumb by the sight of her strength laid flat. "Wyatt," she breathed. Trembling, she reached out one hand towards his face.

One of his own hands shot up and grasped her wrist before she could touch him. "Don't," he rasped, turning his head away to cough. "You shouldn't be here. You should be gone, far away."

She dropped onto the bed, leaning over him. "No. I can't leave you."

"You have to."

"Wyatt—"

"Sweetheart." His voice died on the word, swallowed by plagued coughs. Sitting so close to him, DG could see everything—how his body trembled even in silence, how his face twisted in pain with each movement. She could hear the struggle within his lungs and feel the weak grip on her wrist. Even though he had only just fallen ill, she knew that he was dying. And with that revelation, she knew she was going to break apart in front of him unless she got out of there.

The moment his fit passed, she clasped his hand within both her own and brought it to her face, kissing the knuckles. "I'm not going anywhere, so don't waste your breath. I have to take care of a few things, but then I'm going to come right back. So save your strength and try and rest okay? You're going to be fine."

He knew the lie in her words as well as she did. But he nodded, his eyes on her as he briefly tightened his grip. She smiled and set his hand on his chest before rising, hurrying out of the room.

The moment the door closed behind her, she clasped her hands to her mouth and tried to grasp the last few threads of her composure. She darted around the corner and slumped against the wall between two stone pillars, partially secluding herself in the natural alcove and away from prying eyes.

There she let herself be overcome by deep, heart-rending sobs. She kept her hands over her face, trying to keep as quiet as possible—she didn't want anyone to see their Queen utterly shattered. Unwillingly, her mind went back to the previous night when she had said goodnight to Cain. He had been in perfect health then, smiling and trying to cheer her up, kissing her senseless and then reluctantly withdrawing to his own room. He had been life. But now, he was in shadow and falling quickly. And she was helpless to stop it.

Two arms went around her and pulled her forward, engulfing her in a fierce hug. She didn't bother trying to stop her crying; he wouldn't care. Hands rubbed soothing circles on her back, calmly waiting for her to collect herself. After several more painful minutes, she forced herself to rein in her emotions and collect her broken facade. A quick look around showed that the corridor was deserted, Norris's standing at one end, facing away respectfully. She sniffed and looked up. "He's dying."

"I know," Glitch replied. "Raw told me. You shouldn't have to worry—Cain's too ornery to die. Besides, we're making progress and we're going to figure this out in time, DG. You won't lose him."

The thought of spending the rest of her life without him next to her nearly sent her into hysterics once again. But even though her face scrunched up with tears leaking from her eyes, she managed to stay relatively calm. "I don't know what to do, Glitch." Her voice cracked. "The only thing I've been able to do is smile and keep people's spirits up. . .which is a piss-poor contribution as it is. But what do I do now? The man I love is dying and I can't do anything to help!"

"Calm down, Doll," Glitch said, keeping his voice even and hugging her again. "You've done more than enough to help with this crisis. Keeping people hopeful is half the battle and you've won that part. You need to let everyone else worry about the rest. And like I said, we've made progress."

"Like what?"

"Abigail thinks she's been able to identify the virus that started this whole mess."

DG reared back, red eyes wide. "Really? That's good, right?"

Glitch shrugged. "Yes and no. She thinks it's a mutated strain of the Smintheus virus, which last struck about eight years ago, during the Witch's reign."

"But, wouldn't that mean we have a cure?"

"It's not that easy, Doll. This virus is different, it doesn't respond the same way to chemicals. It seems that if someone contracted the original strain of Smintheus eight years ago and survived, they built up some kind of immunity to it, which protects them now. She's going through blood samples, seeing if she can use the antibodies to synthesize a vaccine for the mutation."

DG's head was beginning to spin with the technical jargon, but she didn't care. All she heard was that they were making progress and there may be hope for Cain after all. "Can I do anything to help?"

Glitch smiled, but shook his head. "Nope. Just keep Cain company." He paused and frowned. "Though, maybe you shouldn't. You might still catch it, with your immune system the way it is."

DG opened her mouth to protest, but a harsh coughing attack ripped through her lungs. She held onto Glitch's arm with one hand, trying to keep herself upright until it passed. Once she'd regained her breath, she glared at him. "No. I'm staying here. Besides, considering how close I've been to Cain, if I haven't caught it yet, then I might be free."

"I wouldn't risk your life on that logic."

"Well I would." She glanced down the hall, eyes resting on Norris's tense back, most likely aware of every word spoken behind him. "I can't leave him, Glitch. If. . .if this is the last I see of him, I don't want to waste a minute."

Glitch hugged her again and then kissed her cheek. "I know. Go, I'll check in with Abigail and keep you updated."

She smiled at him gratefully before turning and stealing herself. Hastily, she wiped her face, hoping to erase all signs of her crying jag. Smoothing out her clothes and her hair, she took a deep breath and started forward. She would spend as much of the next three days at Cain's side as she could. It might be all she had left.

* * *

Once the news spread that the Troop Commander had the disease, what fragile hope there was shattered. To them, Wyatt Cain was a hero. He lost everything before the Eclipse, but still managed to persevere and do the right thing. He still managed to _survive_. And in the end, he rose to the second highest position in the land, despite his decidedly ignoble birth. The people loved him. And if their hero could fall ill, who were they to stand against the invisible attacker?

The Queen did not come out that day. She was tending to her Commander and closest companion. Despite the horrors of their own lives, each of the citizens of the O.Z. spared a moment to pray to Ozma for their Queen. Many of them knew all too well the pain of losing a spouse and fervently hoped that she would not experience the same tragedy.

* * *

Taloned delirium had him again.

He was writhing against the sheets, struggling, kicking, doing everything he could to throw off those restraining him. His body was covered in sweat, making it hard to hold him down, but still they persisted and Cain remained on the bed. His eyes were wide, hazy with hallucination as they darted to and fro, landing on everything but seeing nothing. His voice clambered up his sore throat, abused from suffocating coughs. He alternated between yelling pleas and threats—moving seamlessly from begging for release to threatening bodily harm. Some of it made sense, some of it didn't. He yelled for people, calling for DG or Jeb, sometimes for Adora. And during each of these episodes, every person in the room felt their heart breaking a little further.

Jeb was often one of the men restraining his father, trying to keep him from hurting himself. He had barely eaten or slept since he found out that Cain was sick, spending as much time by his side as he could. His bleak eyes told the entire story—just when he was starting to reconnect with his father and settle into a happy life, it was all about to be ripped away from him.

DG was always in the room as well, though she didn't try and hold Cain down. The first time she had tried, but when the Troop Commander had almost struck her with a wild punch, Norris had pushed her out of the way and taken over the duty himself. She knew she wasn't strong enough, so she stood by without protest, waiting for the fit to pass.

Because they always passed. And if he wasn't completely exhausted, he would have a few brief moments of lucidity. Which, in a way, were far more painful than the delirium. Because then they were able to see the resignation to his fate in his eyes, the acceptance of what was going to happen. They all told him he would be fine, that they were making progress. But it was all empty promises. No one was fooled.

Eventually, Cain's fit seemed to subside. He stopped thrashing about, stopped yelling incoherently. His body sank again into the mattress and his head lolled to the side, eyes closed and mouth partly open. Harsh breaths spun past his lips, stuttering behind further coughs that wracked his frame. Norris slowly straightened, waiting to be sure that the danger had passed. After another minute of inactivity, he left with a quiet talk, retaking his position outside the door.

Jeb sank tiredly into the chair next to the bed and put his head into his hands. DG retrieved a damp washcloth from a basin on the table and then sat on the bed, carefully wiping at Cain's face. His episodes were so much more violent than everyone else's and the healers weren't sure why. The theory was that because Raw had used his abilities to give him several more hours of life, it had an adverse effect on him. But no one could be sure. As it was, DG didn't regret her decision to ask her Viewer friend for help. She needed every second she could get for Cain's life and that included using Raw's abilities.

Minutely, Cain's breathing changed and his eyes opened, staring at DG. She paused and held her breath, wondering if she needed to call Norris back in. But Cain just smiled. "DG."

Jeb's head shut up, surprised to hear his father's voice. DG cupped his cheek with one hand, dabbing at his forehead with the other. "Hey there," she said quietly. "How do you feel?"

"Like I just went ten rounds with the Zipperhead." She snorted quietly, but had to turn her head away to cough. When she turned back, Cain was frowning at her. "Have you taken your medicine recently?"

She rolled her eyes. Here he was, dying, and he was worrying about _her_. "Wyatt, focus on yourself. You don't have to worry about me."

"Yes, I do. You're not going to do it." He frowned and tried to sit up, but both Jeb and DG quickly moved forward to stop him.

"Dad, you need to rest," Jeb said, pushing against his shoulder.

Cain turned his head, focusing on his son. He grew serious, reaching his hands up to hold Jeb's face still while he studied it. Then he let one hand fall to his shoulder. "I'm proud of you, son," he said, quiet and emphatic. "You have grown into an incredible man despite everything set against you. Not only am I proud of you as a father, but I'm honored to know you as a person." Jeb didn't know what to say, his face frozen in shock and despair. It was obvious what Cain was doing. He was saying his final goodbyes, while he was still aware. DG brought a hand to her mouth, trying to stop the tears that were sure to come. But Cain wasn't done talking to his son yet. "You have to promise me something. I want you to look after her for me, okay? Make sure she takes care of herself."

Jeb glanced at DG before meeting his father's eyes again. "You don't need me, you'll be able to do it yourself."

"Jeb." Cain shook his head, silently asking him to forget the lies. "Please."

The young man clenched his jaw. "Yeah. You know I will. I love you, Dad, you won't have to worry."

Cain smiled and pulled Jeb's head down to kiss his forehead. Then he turned his eyes to DG. She shook her head. "No. Don't you dare say anything."

"Sweetheart," he said quietly, taking her hands in his own. "Let me say what I have to. I don't know if I'll get the chance again." She sniffed, wanting to shout at him, but unable to get her voice to work. So he continued. "I love you, DG. There's nothing I could say that could tell you just how much. You were exactly what I needed to keep on living, even when I didn't know it. But now, you have to promise me that you're going to be okay, that you're going to make it through this. You have to go and give some idiot nobleman a chance to make you happy."

The Queen shook her head violently, tears streaming down her face. "No. I can't."

"You have to. For this country and its people. Promise me, DG." His voice got quieter, his eyelids starting to fall as he fought off sleep. "Promise me you'll look after yourself."

She didn't have any choice. So she nodded before she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, not caring at all about catching the infection. It was a weak kiss, but it was theirs. "I love you, Wyatt," she whispered against his lips. But when she pulled back to meet his eyes, she found they were already closed, his breathing even as he slept. She couldn't stop the broken cry that left her. Because even though he was still alive, she knew he wasn't going to wake up again. The epidemic had him and in two days, he would be gone forever.

She was hunched over, desperately sobbing as she hugged herself. She was pulled into two anxious arm and she went willingly, crying against his chest. She could feel Jeb's own sobs rip through his body and she wrapped her arms around him in response. They clung to each other as they cried, sharing sorrow and holding each other up.

* * *

The tears never truly ended.

While the Queen's eyes may have eventually dried up, her heart continued to mourn.

And every person mourned with her.

* * *

Methodically, DG wiped the damp cloth along his exposed skin. She followed a constant path up one arm, across his chest and down the other arm, smoothing away sweat and strain. As if Cain knew that he was crossing a threshold, he hadn't woken up again, trapped in his dreams from here on out. But his family still refused to leave.

Jeb stayed seated at his father's side, dozing, but starting awake at any movement or noise from the older man. DG stayed by his side as much as she could, but occasionally she was forced to step out and handle some matter. Normally, if DG was this distracted, her mother or Az would take care of things for her. But since her family was safe at Finaqua, DG was left on her own. Her advisors were trying to handle as much of it as they could, but there were just some matters that only she could handle. Still, she refused to be far from Cain and ended up conducting most of her business in the hallway outside his door.

Turning her head, DG covered her mouth as another cough rifled through her body. The medicine Abigail had given her was helping, but she hadn't been that diligent in taking it recently. A hand suddenly appeared in front of her, holding two small white capsules. She looked up at Jeb, who insistently held the medicine out towards her, a glass of water in his other hand.

"Thanks," she murmured. DG sighed and took the pills, tossing them back and drowning them with water. "Are you going to be my personal pharmacy now?" Jeb frowned in confusion. "Never mind," she muttered.

"Just making sure you take care of yourself," he said quietly. DG flinched and turned away, focusing on the foggy world outside the window. She heard Jeb sigh and shuffle over to the chair, returning to his constant vigil. A remnant cough worked its way through her lungs. She crossed her arms, hugging her aching abdomen after the spasm.

Jeb's steady, even breaths seemed to taunt her. She turned and glared at him. "Why aren't you sick?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Why haven't you caught the virus?"

He shifted uneasily. "Glitch said it was a mutation of the Smintheus virus. I caught it when it last passed through the O.Z. eight years ago. I barely survived, but apparently I'm immune now. Abigail nearly drained me of blood to try and find some antibody or something." He paused, his eyes drifting to his father. "Dad was in the suit though, the last time it went through. He didn't have a chance." He glanced up at her. "You're lucky it's missed you."

DG frowned. "But why? Why am I not sick?"

"You are sick."

"No, that's not what I mean. Why don't I have this stupid virus? My immune system is notoriously bad. Logically, I should have been one of the first struck down. But instead, I'm perfectly fine, even when I'm right next to an infected person." She was so caught up in the puzzle that her voice didn't even break on the word _person_. "Something isn't right." One brief paused stretched into a minute while her mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of thought. "Norris!"

Her bodyguard shoved into the room, eyes wide and darting to the corners before settling on her. "My Lady?"

"You're not sick either. Why?"

"Uh. . .what?"

The Queen huffed in frustration. "The Smintheus virus. Why don't you have it? You're not immune are you?"

Norris shook his head. "No, I've never had it before. I don't know why I'm not sick, especially since I've caught your cough."

"My cough. . ." DG trailed off, frowning and biting one of her nails. "What am I missing?" she growled, pacing. Finally, she turned and hurried out of the room, ignoring Norris's startled call. She pushed past her advisors and everyone else that was in her way, her mind focused solely on reaching the infirmary and figuring out this sudden mystery.

Abigail looked up in surprise when DG banged into the room. "Your Majesty! Are you all right?"

The Queen thrust her arm out without preamble. "I need you to take some of my blood and test it. Norris's too."

The blonde healer's eyes darted over DG's shoulder briefly. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, that's just it." Abigail's frown remained and DG grit her teeth. "Think about it. With my history, I should have been the first victim of this thing. I never had Smintheus. I should be down and out for the count by now, especially since I'm hovering over Cain. But I'm fine." She turned and smacked Norris in the chest with her palm. "He's fine too, even though he's never had Smintheus either." Abigail's eyes were darting between them now, clearly trying to put the pieces together in her head. DG did it for her. "But we both have that stupid cough."

The proverbial lightbulb was almost blinding. "Sit down, both of you," she said tersely, barely registering her own harsh orders to the Queen. She turned her head and barked a few words at another healer, who quickly scurried about and brought the necessary supplies. Expertly, Abigail set about taking several vials of blood from DG's arm. The Queen winced when the needle went in, quickly turning her head away to stare at the hustle of the infirmary—watching healers and alchemists running to and fro, waving papers around, debating results.

"How did you come up with this, Your Majesty?"

DG turned her head back at Abigail's question, relieved to see that the process was already over for her. She held a piece of gauze to her arm to seep up the small pinprick of blood and watched as she moved to Norris to repeat the procedure. Her bodyguard didn't flinch, though DG swore that Abigail was being far more gentle with him than was strictly necessary.

"Jeb gave me the idea actually. He told me he had Smintheus the last time it was here, but Cain didn't. It made me really wonder why I hadn't been knocked down yet."

Abigail nodded. "It's a valid question and definitely worth checking out. With any luck, this will help us on our way to a cure."

DG grabbed the healer's arm, lowering her voice. "I know you're working as hard as you can, but you have to hurry." Her voice dropped even lower, the last word a plea. "Please."

The healer smiled sympathetically. "Of course I will. How is he?"

DG dropped her arm. "Quiet," she whispered. "The last time he was awake he had the nerve to make dying requests. That was hours ago." She felt the tears threatening again, but noisily cleared her throat, pushing them away. "So you're just going to have to figure this out soon so that I can properly yell at him, alright?"

Abigail nodded. "I will do my best, Your Majesty. I will let you know the moment I have any news." She tossed a meaningful look at Norris before turning and bringing the blood samples to one of the many indescribable machines littering the room.

"Come, My Lady," Norris said gently, placing a hand at the small of her back. "Let them do their work."

DG threw an irritated look at the man behind her before leaving. "I don't enjoy being coddled, Norris. I haven't shut down yet, I'm still quite capable of taking care of myself."

"Of course, My Lady." Norris's voice was neutral and she sighed in frustration. He wasn't going to trust her resolve until this epidemic was through. She only prayed that that end was soon.

* * *

Just as she had for the last three days, DG sat quietly next to Cain's side on the bed. She had one of his hands in her lap, her fingertips ghosting over the back of his pale skin, tracing blue veins. Every few minutes her fingers would move to his wrist, checking his pulse before resuming their earlier path.

She knew that in just a few short hours, her world would stop. Because at some nefariously innocuous hour, Cain would take his last breath. It would crawl away from pale lips, mingling with the stale air of his room and eventually escape through some crack to the outside. And the body left behind would lay, motionless and lifeless, just another victim of the Smintheus epidemic. One among many.

DG shifted minutely, her dull eyes still focused on Cain's face. She thought that she should be thankful that he appeared to rest peacefully now, because that meant he was not in pain. But a part of her wanted to see him move or cry out or struggle. _Anything_ to prove to her that he was still alive and fighting. Because that would mean there was still hope. . .even when she couldn't see it.

Following another routine, her eyes darted over to Jeb's hunched form, checking on him. They hadn't spoken much in the past two days, but she knew they were inexplicably closer. Making sure the other ate and slept and took medicine—doing everything they could to make the time waiting for the end easier.

Beyond the closed door, rapid footsteps echoed, growing steadily louder. DG turned her head slightly, keeping her eyes on Cain, but trying to catch more of the sound. If they were coming here, then they were undoubtedly looking for her. She didn't want to leave her spot, not when every second was precious. But as the steps got quicker and more thunderous, she knew she was going to have to make a choice.

Or not. The door burst open and Abigail hurried in, a triumphant smile on her face. "I think we have it."

DG stared at her, unsure what she was talking about. "Have what?"

"A cure!" She waved the syringe in her hand, filled with some milky white fluid. "What few tests we've been able to run suggest that this might be able to eradicate the virus. The only drawback is we haven't had the chance to test it on anyone. . ."

DG's eyes went to Jeb, silently asking. He gave the barest of nods. "Do it," she said, stepping away from the bed, though not releasing Cain's hand. She didn't even have to think about what she was asking. Yes, there was a chance it wouldn't work. . .might even make things worse. But she knew that Cain would want to try, would want to take the chance in the hopes that someone else might be saved. Biting her lip, she squeezed his hand, wishing he could respond.

Without preamble, Abigail hurried to the other side of the bed, pulling out his arm and talking while she worked. "It was your idea that made it work, Your Majesty. This cough you've had, it goes beyond you and Norris. A couple hundred in the city have it and none of them are infected with the Smintheus virus, even though a vast majority of them have no immunity to it. So, I deliberately injected some of your blood with the virus and monitored it.

"The results were fascinating," she gushed, injecting the entire syringe worth of vaccine into Cain's arm. "Whatever this cough is, it not only attacks the host, but in a way, protects it as well. When another virus tried to infect the blood, like Smintheus, the cough strain fought it off. Even though the cough is itself an infection, it eradicated the competition."

"Wait a second," DG said, waving a hand. "Are you telling me that whatever caused my cough was territorial and killing the intruders?"

"That's it exactly." The blonde haired medic withdrew the empty syringe and carefully returned Cain's arm to the bed. "This cough that has been bothering you for weeks has, in effect, saved your life. Once I figured out what was happening, I basically cobbled together a serum that takes the antibodies in Jeb's blood and combines them with the cough virus in your blood."

Jeb frowned. "That sounds. . .ridiculous, actually. Is that really going to work?"

Abigail shrugged. "All the tests have been positive so far. But like I said, we haven't tried it on an actual person yet. We're just going to have to wait and see."

"How long?" DG asked, returning to her spot on the bed.

"I don't know," Abigail said. "The results were fairly quick in the tests, but that was only with a small amount of blood. The serum has to spread through the entire body and fight off a disease that has a very strong hold. It might be a while."

She didn't want to ask the next question, but she had to, her voice barely audible. "What if we're too late?"

Also reluctant to answer, Abigail sighed. "We'll know one way or the other in a few hours."

And so they waited.

For three long hours they waited. Word had spread and the entire palace was holding their breath. But none more so than the four anxious people, hovering. Abigail was sitting in a chair in the corner, waiting for a sign that she was right or wrong. Norris stood next to her, conversing quietly, though his eyes remained on his charge. Jeb sat next to the bed, one hand on his father's arm. And DG held her post, her eyes always on his face and her fingers always on his pulse.

Which is why she was the first to know.

Imperceptibly, his pulse picked up, his heart beating faster, stronger. His fingers twitched, aware of the two pockets of warmth on his skin. His lungs contracted, taking in a deep breath for the first time in days. And then his beautiful eyes cracked open, drowsy and muddled, but aware.

DG could hardly see him through the tears that were suddenly clouding her vision. "Hey there, Tin Man," she whispered. Three heads whipped towards her, gasping and eyes wide. Her own smile was nearly splitting her face in two, but she didn't care.

Cain's answering smile was weak, but there. "Hey there, Highness." He turned his head and caught Jeb's disbelieving stare, then noted Abigail and Norris against the wall. "What's going on?"

DG couldn't help it. She laughed. For the first time in days she burst out. She brought her hands onto either side of his face and leaned closer. "Oh, you stupid stupid man." Then she pressed her lips to his in a long, but chaste kiss. "I love you, Wyatt. Don't you ever do this to me again." He frowned, confused, but she turned away. She reluctantly stepped away from the bed and patted Jeb's shoulder, turning away to give him a moment to reunite with his father. Instead, she focused on the blonde haired medic, now on her feet against the wall, her mouth open in wonder.

The Queen swept the woman up in a fierce hug, nearly crushing her. Abigail froze at first, before returning the hug awkwardly. "Thank you," DG said, her voice wavering with emotion. "Thank you for saving him."

"I had many help me, Your Majesty," Abigail replied. "Yourself included."

DG shook her head when she pulled back. "But you figured the bulk of it out. I will always be in your debt. I wish I could give you the next year off, but your work isn't done yet. I need you to get back down to the lab and start to manufacture as much of the vaccine as you can and start distributing it throughout the city."

Abigail nodded and turned her eyes back to the bed, her smile almost as big as the Queen's. "Right away. As soon as I get things moving down there, I'll be back to check on him. He's still got a lot of recovery ahead of him, but I think the worst is over." She chuckled when DG leaned forward to hug her again. With one more shared grin with Norris, the two left the room, giving the reunited three some privacy.

Jeb was standing at Cain's side, grinning like a child, his eyes suspiciously bright. DG returned to her seat on the bed, taking Cain's hand and bringing it to her lips, kissing his palm. She couldn't help but be amused when his eyelids began to droop. "You should get some sleep."

Cain stubbornly shook his head. "From what I understand, I've been asleep for three days."

"So what's one more?" He glared at her and DG had missed the expression so much that she laughed again. "Wyatt, your body is still trying to fight off this stupid virus. So go back to sleep and let it do its work. I've got a few things I need to say to you and since it's considered impolite to yell at the infirm, I need you to get better as soon as possible. We'll explain everything when you're feeling stronger."

"I'm strong enough now." To try and prove his point, he wedged his elbows underneath him. Jeb sighed in exasperation and pushed his father back to the bed.

"Dad, please. You've put us through hell the past few days. The least you could do is grant a simple request that you sleep."

Cain's eyes slid from his son to the Queen, noting their obviously haggard appearances. "Alright. But only if you both get some sleep too. And I expect explanations when I wake back up."

"Whatever you say, Dad." Jeb leaned down and kissed his father's forehead.

DG nodded, her smile soft. She leaned forward to plant another brief kiss on his lips. "We'll be here when you wake up again, so don't worry." Cain valiantly tried to fight off sleep for the next few minutes, his eyes sliding between the two and his hand squeezing DG's intermittently. Eventually though, his exhausted body won out and he drifted off to a calm, healing sleep.

DG looked up at Jeb, her watery smile mirrored in his own face. They wrapped their arms around each other and cried, basking in the relief of knowing their loved one was saved.

* * *

**Remember back in the last chapter (a long time ago, I know) when I said there was a bit of foreshadowing? Only about two of you caught onto the fact that DG was coughing. And now we know why! Also, for any who are interested, Smintheus is actually an epithet of Apollo, referencing the plague he strikes the Greeks with in the first book of the **_**Iliad**_** ("Smintheus, god of the plague!" I.45). What can I say, I was a Classics minor, I know more of this stuff than is strictly healthy.**

**Anyway, I need to apologize for the horribly long wait between chapters. My muse deserted me and I didn't write one word for two weeks. Horrible. So, I'm warning you all now that I don't know what's in the future for this story. By no means will I say it's done, because I truly enjoy writing it and I don't want to abandon all my lovely, faithful readers! I will say my inspiration at the moment is rather suspect and frankly, I'm low on ideas (miserably so). I'll be puzzling out the next chapter, but at the moment, the date of the next update is sketchy at best.**

**So. Was it worth the wait? Not so much? Let me know! I cherish every review and I really pay attention to what you say you liked and didn't like. Because my goal is always to be a better writer and you are the ones that help me do that. So please let me know what you thought of the chapter and hopefully, I will be back soon! Thanks so much, I love you all!**


	13. The First Encounter

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. Cookies go to Effie for the second part, because she let me play with her idea. The first part is kind of her fault too. But the third part is all me and my warped mind.**

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* * *

**It started high in the mountains, galeing its way through firs and downy slopes. It squalled across forests, detaching leaves and stirring up brush. It gusted through the Crack, the boards on the bridge squeaking in protest. It breezed further south, winging across ponds and lakes, ripples in its wake. When in its final moments, it whispered through the dark tresses of the Queen, humming quietly to herself.

DG distractedly reached up to push her ruffled hair behind her ear. Still humming, she focused on the charcoal sketch in her lap, smoothing her fingers along the rough lines and working the shading to the desired depth. The wooden dock beneath her creaked as she shifted. Her bare foot trailed back and forth through the cool waters, leaving a swirling wake with each movement. Behind her, the elegant lines of Finaqua stretched upward. But before her was just forest, lake and serenity.

She was so caught up in her little, idyllic world, that she almost missed the thrum of footsteps behind her, the dock shifting with each step. She knew who it was instantly though, so she just kept sketching. The familiar cracking of knees sounded and a warm pair of lips pressed against her neck. "I don't think I've ever seen you this relaxed before."

DG smiled and tilted her head, letting his lips trail up her neck. "I don't think I've ever felt this relaxed before. Do you realize that this might be the first vacation I've had since I've landed here? Certainly since I've taken the throne."

Cain wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his chest. "Believe me, I know. I've been trying to get you to take a break for months, but you would never listen to me. You desperately need it, especially since you've stopped sleeping. I wish you would take full advantage of this though and stop your lessons with Tutor."

"There was always too much to do. Still is, which is why I'm continuing with the lessons. I'm sorry, I can't completely check out." She coughed lightly, holding a hand against her mouth and leaving a black smudge on her cheek. "But we both need to recover and get healthy again. And we might as well do that here."

He rested his chin on her shoulder, watching as her fingers effortlessly slid across the paper. It looked like a picture of the lake in front of them, the sun bouncing off the glassy liquid into the trees. The waters were calm, except where they were broken by a jagged fin. He reached one finger to point at the innocuous detail. "Is this a fin?"

"Mmhhmm. It was just such a beautiful picture, I had to sketch it."

"Deeg, there aren't any fish in this lake. In fact, nothing has lived here for three hundred years."

She frowned, pausing. "Are you sure? I swear I thought I saw something earlier today. The past few days actually."

"Trust me, no one's seen anything in these waters for years. The picture is still beautiful though." DG wouldn't stop frowning though, her eyes going to the surface of the lake. Cain turned his head to the side, scanning their surroundings out of habit. Even though Norris and Agathon were nearby and the rest of the guard were out of sight, but within range, he couldn't help but stay on alert. Movement closer to the palace drew his attention and he grinned. "Abigail is coming this way."

She turned her head only slightly, just enough to be able to watch the healer's approach without being obvious. "Think she's coming to lecture us about taking it easy?"

"Maybe. Why you felt the need to bring the medic along, I'll never know."

"Don't give me that," she said, pushing her elbow into his stomach. "You were far from healthy when we first got here, I wasn't going to take any chances. And if Abigail coming along gives her the opportunity to be closer to a certain bodyguard, well, I guess that's just a happy coincidence, isn't it?"

Cain snorted and kissed her neck again. "You're devious."

"Comes with the job. Besides, Norris is perhaps one of the most noble men I've ever met. If anyone deserves to be happy, it's him." Her eyes followed Abigail's path, which would take her right by Norris. The man himself appeared unaware that she was coming closer, though that was far from the truth. When she was only a few steps away, the medic tripped over some unseen obstacle and pitched forward. Norris sprung forward and caught her before she could hit the ground, carefully cradling her in his arms. Both of their faces were red.

DG bit her lip to keep from laughing. "I don't think I've ever seen that man blush before."

"Well, I don't think I've ever seen her trip before. Unfortunate that it should happen in front of him."

"It probably happened _because_ of him."

Cain pulled away a bit, tearing his eyes from the fidgeting couple to stare at the woman in his arms. "What are you talking about?"

"Temporary clumsiness. Being around a guy you have a crush on can make the limbs go rogue. It's happened to me once or twice."

He frowned. "You never tripped around me."

"No, I just got shot at, stabbed and buried under a ton of rock. But no clumsiness, so yea for that."

Rolling his eyes, Cain disentangled himself from DG and stood up, offering his hand to her. "Let's go get some food. I'll talk to Abigail when I pass her, break up their mumbled conversation. I swear I can feel the awkwardness from over here."

DG laughed and grabbed his hand, letting him haul her to her feet. "Sounds like a plan. I want to swing by the library anyway. Let's go save them before they get too embarrassed and never look at each other again." With one last glance at the lake, she grabbed her sketchpad and left the dock.

* * *

Despite the fact that she was on a well-deserved vacation, DG never truly took a break from work. Every day after she woke up, she was briefed on the latest reports, occasionally directing her advisors as to how to act, if they needed her guidance. Afterwards, she spent some time going over the dispatches, signing urgent requests and making inquiries. Once everything that couldn't wait was handled, she had the rest of the day to herself to spend as she would; such as sketching by the lake, like yesterday.

Though that didn't mean that she spent all her free time relaxing and doing nothing, as much as Abigail and her other staff would prefer. With Tutor's help, she continued working with her magic each day, testing her limits and practicing new and complex spells. To everyone, she simply said that she wanted to grow more comfortable and stronger with her magic. To herself, she had to admit that sometimes the pure magnitude of what she was able to do with magic freaked her out. And learning to control this power was her top priority.

Which left her in a secluded portion of the maze, practicing, with Toto standing dutifully behind her, watching. The small alcove housed a shallow pond, covered in bright lily pads. Dragonflies buzzed from green to green, twirling and chasing each other in flamboyant spectacles. It would be enough for her to stop and admire if she weren't so focused on freezing the pond into solid ice.

DG grit her teeth as she held her hands in front of her, pushing on her magic, feeling the chill in her fingertips. The edges crusted over first, turning solid before spidering outward, freezing the water, inch by inch. It cracked and splintered as it molded together, binding into one large sheet. The lily pads cemented to the ice, the green frosting over and the dragonflies buzzing away, confused. At the end though, the pond ended up as one large ice block. And the only difference to her was the slight ringing in her ears.

"Well done, Your Majesty!" Toto praised.

"That's pretty impressive, sis."

DG jumped at the unexpected voice, her magic breaking away from her and the ice instantly flooding back to water. "Geez, Az, don't do that! What if I had been controlling fire or something?"

Az raised one perfect eyebrow. "Well, since I'm not wearing a fedora, I can assume that I would be safe from any wayward fireballs." Something scuttled across DG's eyes before she blushed bright red and turned around, grumbling. "Why are you out here working on spells? You're on vacation, you're supposed to be relaxing."

"I am relaxing. Toto and I are just making sure that I stay sharp." She focused on the pond again, feeling the bitter snow in her fingertips.

"Well, since you've mastered the art of ice, I think it's time to celebrate with a break. Come on, Deeg, take a walk with your sister." She walked over and looped her arm with DG's, dragging her back into the maze and away from Tutor and his lessons. "I will not let you waste your vacation on work."

"I am not wasting it on work. This is important." Az frowned at her sister's desperate tone. DG sighed and resigned herself to the break. "But I'll humor you just the same." The two sisters leisurely strolled through the maze, slowly working their way back to the main part of Finaqua.

"Deeg, that was more than just wanting to stay sharp. What's going on?"

"There's nothing going on."

Az stopped and forced DG to face her, putting her hands on her sister's shoulders. "Don't lie to me. You have needed this vacation for months, yet you're barely taking advantage of it. Yesterday was the first time I saw you sketching, though you've been talking about it for weeks. You're spending a lot of time with Tutor on your magic and I want to know why."

The Queen brought her hands up to rest over her sister's. "It's nothing. I'm just trying to make sure that I have perfect control over my magic. That's it. Practice makes perfect and all that."

"That's ridiculous. You've got the best control I've ever seen. The spells you can do—it's incredible!" Az paused, feeling DG tense beneath her hands, her eyes skittering away. "Deeg? Now, I know something's wrong. Please talk to me, I can't help you if you don't let me know what's wrong."

DG took a step away, breaking their contact. "The spells I can do. . .that doesn't worry you at all?"

"No. Should it?"

"It's just. . .it's not natural. Az, I can control fire, and blanket a field in mist and put up a shield that repels _bullets_, all while barely breaking a sweat. That's not _normal_. It's frightening." Unexpectedly, she moved to one of the leafy walls and leaned against it, running a hand over her face. "Every day, Toto keeps telling me how powerful I am, how there's been no one to rival me for centuries. And it scares the shit out of me. In fact, it scares me for two entirely different reasons."

Surprised by the defeated slump of her shoulders, Az moved closer. "What? Deeg, I'm not sure I understand."

"Everything about it scares me," DG whispered, sinking to the ground, twigs and stray leaves raining down on her as she slid down the hedge. "I'm scared about everything that I can do. But at the same time, I'm scared about everything I can't do."

Az sank to the ground in front of her little sister, reaching forward to brush some stray foliage out of her dark tresses. "Little sister, you're not making sense."

"Can't you see, Az? I have so much power; enough that I can't always consciously control it when my emotions get out of control. And that's when I'm the most dangerous. I lose that tenuous grip and people get hurt. You saw what I did to Norris and Cain."

"Oh, no no no," Az quickly put in. "Those were just accidents, they don't blame you."

"It doesn't matter, I blame myself. They got hurt because of me. I lost control and broke Norris's collarbone. And then I nearly burned Cain alive." Her voice broke on the last word and she pulled her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and making herself as small as possible. "How can I not be terrified, knowing I have that kind of power?"

Az's eyes ran over her sister's face, noting the still dark recesses under her eyes, the permanent crease between her eyebrows. "You stopped sleeping right after you burned Cain's hat," she said quietly, starting to put the pieces together.

"I couldn't stop dreaming about it," DG croaked, tightening her arms. "All I could see was Cain, engulfed in flames. And all of it my fault because I couldn't control my magic."

"Deeg," Az said, quietly, setting one hand on her sister's chill skin. She wanted desperately to pull her into her arms and comfort her, but she knew it wasn't the time yet. "So, you're scared by all you can do. That's natural. But you said that you're also scared for another reason?"

DG's voice was a bare breath. "Sometimes. . .sometimes I get worried that even though I have all this power, that maybe it isn't enough."

"How could it not be enough?"

"The epidemic. I couldn't do anything to help anyone. Cain was dying right in front of me and I was completely useless. All I was good for was smiling and shaking hands. I kept thinking that if only I knew more, that I would be able to save him and everyone else. That maybe if I wasn't so weak I could find a spell to fix everything.

"God, Az." DG raised watery eyes to her sister, begging for help. "I don't know what to do, how to control this. What if I get so intent on learning new spells that I forget my limits and completely lose control? What if I end up doing more damage than the Witch could even think to do?"

Az framed her sister's face, calmly wiping away the Queen's panicked tears. "You would never let that happen, Deeg. Your entire reign has been spent trying to clean up the mess that the Witch made of this country. You have witnessed every horrible consequence that comes from greed and poor decisions. You've seen the effect it has on the people. And that's why you won't hurt them, even unintentionally. Because you don't just care about them, you _love_ them. Just look at yourself now, feel this horror at the thought of hurting them—you could never do it."

"I want to believe that," DG murmured. "I want to believe that I could never go down that path."

"Then believe it. You're forgetting that you're not doing this by yourself. None of us would let you get to the point where you became another Witch, destined to poison the land. I especially, won't let that happen to my darling baby sister. Okay?"

DG smiled wryly, the first sign of happiness since the discussion began. "Yeah. You know, sometimes I imagine how much simpler my life could be if I didn't have magic."

"Maybe it would be. And maybe it would be harder. There's no point in wondering though. Your magic is a part of you, just like your propensity towards sudden hugs and pert remarks. You shouldn't be scared of it. And you shouldn't have such high expectations of yourself. Just be DG and that will be more than enough."

The Queen nodded before launching herself forward, hugging her sister tightly. "I don't know what I would do without you, Az," she whispered. "You help keep me sane."

"And that alone is a full time job."

DG laughed and pulled back, her eyes finally untroubled. "Thank you. I love you, Az."

"I love you too, Deeg. Now come on, let's go sit on the swing and gossip—I overheard the cooks talking about Abby and Norris this morning and I know you'll find it interesting."

Grinning wildly, they climbed to their feet and brushed off their skirts, picking leaves and twigs out of each others' hair before looping arms and walking. With each step they took, they left the conversation further behind them, the stress flowing off their brows like water. They idly chatted, steering clear of anything stressful or controversial, not wanting to disturb the peaceful moments. Here, they were not Queen and Princess, burdened with responsibility, but simply sisters, trying to distract each other from their worries.

Once they broke free of the maze, they laughed and skipped over to the gazebo swings, reverting back to their childish selves, if only for a moment. Feet kicking outward, the swing began to pendulum forward, reaching back and forth while the girls hung backwards, their dark hair brushing the ground with each pass.

A flash from the water brought a frown to DG's face as she paused to stare at the water, her eyes narrowing. "Hey, Az, let me ask you something. Have you ever seen anything in this lake before? Like a fish or something?"

Her sister shook her head, taking a minute to gaze out over the reflective waters. "No. Nothing's been here for three hundred years, though there are stories of giant serpents and people that live on the lake floor. They're just legends though. Why?"

DG sighed and shrugged. "The past few days, I just would've sworn I'd seen something—something with fins."

"Maybe in another lake, but not this one. Sorry, Deeg."

"It's fine. Maybe now I can stop imaging things. Forget about this though, the cook was making strawberry tarts when I left this morning. Want to go raid the kitchen with me?"

Az grinned and hopped up. "Of course! And while we're there, he can give you a first hand account of what happened between Norris and Abby. Let's go!"

Regardless of their guards rolling their eyes, the girls giggled and ran back to the palace, all duty and storm clouds gone from their minds.

* * *

She couldn't shake the feeling. It nagged at her, tugged at the back of her mind, whispered to her senses. Always there, despite everyone's assurances to the contrary. But she just could not get rid of the feeling that maybe _something_ was living in Finaqua's lakes, something that didn't want to be seen.

Which was why DG was out in the early morning, standing on the very edge of the dock, staring out over the water. Her toes gripped the edge of the warped wood, the grain scratching against her skin. Arms crossed over her chest, her eyes pierced through every ripple, looking for a flash of anything. She vaguely heard the rustle of the awakening wildlife around her, the murmur of her guards speaking to one another, the shouts echoing from the palace. But she tuned most of it out, focusing intently on the water, determined not to miss anything.

The suns were significantly higher in the sky when DG first began to consider defeat. She hadn't seen a thing and she wasn't quite prepared to spend her entire day standing on the dock, waiting for a big reveal. She huffed and dropped her arms, starting to turn back.

When, naturally, the telltale flash of metallic skipped across the water into the corner of her eye.

DG whirled back around, eyes wide. It was gone. But it had been there. And that was all she needed. She flexed her fingers, staring at the water, fumbling for a plan. Az's words from yesterday rang in her head and she vowed not to be afraid of her magic. It was a part of her. And it was a part of her problem solving. So she would use it.

Drawing her magic to herself, DG held her flat palm above the water, concentrating. Slowly, the ripples stilled as the molecules fused together by frost, cracking into one solid piece of ice. It floated above the water, barely taking up one square foot of space. But it would be enough. Keeping careful tabs on the ringing in her ears, DG raised her leg and stepped forward onto the floating ice.

"My Lady!" Norris's strangled exclamation reached her, but she distractedly waved him off. She was going to find out about this mystery fish if it was the last thing she did. Her attention was split between keeping the ice solid enough to support her weight as well as keeping her balance so she didn't end up in the water anyway. Ever so delicately, she held her other hand up, letting the ice grow in front of her. She took a step onto the new surface, drawing further from the dock and deeper out into the water.

Her guards were gathered around the shoreline, stray workers and servants joining them as they watched in awe as the Queen literally walked on water. DG ignored them though, all her mind set on her impromptu path across the lake. The strain grew marginally with each step, the pitch changing with each inch of ice grown. After months of intense practice though, DG was well aware of how her strength corresponded with the tones. And right now, she was fine.

Before she knew it, she was approaching the center of the lake. She was hoping to find some fish swimming beneath the surface—a marlin or a dolphin or a measly bluegill. . .anything to prove that she hadn't been imaging it.

What she didn't expect was to see a humanoid face suddenly appear on the other side of the clear ice, directly below her feet.

DG screeched in surprise, her concentration shot with the start. And with her concentration gone, her magic broke. The ice instantly washed back to water, sending DG with it. Unceremoniously, DG crashed into the lake.

She kicked back to the surface, sputtering once her head broke through. She could already hear the yelling on the shore and she raised a hand at them. "I'm fine! Don't come in after me, I'm fine!" She coughed a few times, wiping the water out of her eyes. "Honest, I—"

A hand wrapped around her ankle and pulled her down, her scream swallowed by the water instantly. DG thrashed against the restraint, twisting her body to see what was holding onto her. Once her eyes adjusted to the murky light in the lake, she stilled, amazed.

In front of her was what could only be described as a mermaid, though nothing as cliche as Ariel or the other typical stereotypes. This creature was much less human than she would have anticipated. Green and gold scales covered her entire body, sparkling even in the dim light. Her long tail was tipped with a florescent silver fin, moving lazily to and fro to keep her steady. The tail merged seamlessly with her torso, slimming down and giving her a definitive waist, before moving outward once again. There was a slight roundness to her chest, but nothing that clearly defined her as a woman. On either side of her chest, over where a human's lungs would be were two sets of gills, fluttering with each breath. Spindly arms stuck out topped with long fingered hands, deceptively strong. On the outside of each forearm was a razor-sharp fin, able to fold against the scales and disappear, if need be. The neck was longer than a normal human's giving her a wider range of movement. The top of her head was covered with long, green, kelp-like hair, waving around her like Medusa's snakes.

It was her face though that amazed DG more than anything. Her lipless mouth opened to reveal a row of piranha teeth. Clearly defined cheekbones rested below two luminous eyes, both a cloudy gold color. But what shocked her most was how such a terrifying face could look so _desperate._

The fingers unwrapped themselves from her ankle, but DG didn't move towards the surface. This creature wanted her here, had been trying to get her attention for days. She wasn't about to leave now. Except she had the pressing need to breathe, as her burning lungs reminded her. But she didn't want the mermaid to go, to think she was abandoning her. So she gestured towards the surface, pointing towards her nose, hopping that they would understand that she needed air.

The mermaid shook her head, fingers wrapping around her ankle once again. DG tried to repress the panic, her mind instantly starting to pull at her magic, wondering if there was some spell that would let her breathe underwater. There was no need for it though, as the mermaid held up a group of thin, bamboo-like plants in her hand. She was careful to keep them vertical and making sure that DG was watching her, she took one and carefully tipped it over.

DG watched in amazement as a small stream of bubbles rushed out of the hollow tube and ran for the surface. The plants held oxygen in their stems. It wasn't a whole lot, but it would be enough for her, for a little while. Understanding, DG held her hand out, her lungs screaming more with each moment. The mermaid handed her one of the sticks and DG awkwardly moved to stick it in her mouth, while not losing any of the precious air.

She greedily breathed in the oxygen, plugging her nose with one hand so she didn't accidentally breathe in water as well. It was perhaps the oddest sensation in her life, breathing while underwater. There was no time to wonder though, because as soon as she discarded the reed, the mermaid wrapped an arm around her waist and gave one powerful kick with her tail.

Their bodies sliced deeper into the water, heading towards the lake floor. DG clenched her eyes shut and crushed a hand over her nose and mouth, wondering what the hell she had just gotten herself into. She had never even known that mermaids existed, let alone at Finaqua. She didn't even know if they were a peaceful species or not. Trouble always did have an easy time of finding her.

With her eyes closed, she had no idea how far they had moved when they finally came to a stop. DG cautiously opened her eyes, reaching for another reed as she did so, taking another, merciful, breath. Whatever she had been imaging was waiting for them at the end, this was certainly not it.

A dozen merpeople were waiting for them, clustered together, looking apprehensive. Several looked outright hostile, their arm fins fully extended and teeth barred. These were clearly males, defined by their bigger build, flatter chests and shorter hair. They weren't the ones that had the Queen's attention though—she was focused on the six merpeople in the center of the impromptu group. Even with her poor eyesight and nonexistent knowledge of the species, she could tell they were sick. Their scales didn't sparkle, but looked dull. Their gills fluttered erratically, as if they were gasping for breath. Their tails barely moved as they rested on the ground.

They were dying. And clearly the mermaid thought that she could help.

DG grabbed another reed and sucked down the air, trying to buy herself time to think. Why would they think she could help? She couldn't even help her own people when they were sick, how was she expected to help another species? She turned to the mermaid that had brought her here and shrugged, tried to say that she didn't know what to do.

The mermaid shook her head. She pointed first at DG, then at the sick merpeople. DG shook her head and the mermaid repeated the action, more forcefully. The Queen wished she could speak, could tell them that she didn't know what to do. But she was stuck gesticulating wildly, looking like an idiot as she floated and thrashed in the water.

Her movements were cut off though, when movement drew her gaze back to the sick merpeople. One of them was convulsing, eyes closed, gills working furiously. His mouth opened and a low moan left him, pained and frantic. It shook DG to the core—it reminded her so much of Cain's pain-filled delirious dreams. . .

DG's eyes narrowed as she focused on the sick creature, watching as one of the healthy guardians moved to calm him. Once the seizure had passed, the ailing merman fell silent back to the lake floor, apparently unconscious. His gills still moved erratically, but he was quiet and still now, as if he had just been having an episode.

Just like the ones that had afflicted those with the Smintheus virus.

DG's eyes now grew wide. Could it be possible? The epidemic had struck nearly a third of the population of the O.Z., stretching far beyond the walls of Central City. Was it possible that it somehow infected the merpeople as well? DG turned her eyes to her guide and the mermaid nodded, as if she knew what DG was thinking. The Queen grabbed another reed and drew in the air before taking another look at the sick. They were only six, but they clearly didn't have any time left. Maybe she could save them after all.

Frantically, she started kicking back towards the surface, doing everything she could to move quickly. An arm was instantly around her waist and she was moving at a speed that she could never hope to achieve. She reached the surface in a matter of seconds and the arm retreated from her waist, letting her head break the surface alone.

Blessed air never felt so good. She gasped and sucked in a deep breath, coughing with the sudden relief. A brief glance around her showed that she was further out in the lake than where she had originally started. The shore was crowded with people, frightened over the sudden disappearance and possible drowning of their Queen. All of her family and friends were there, staring at her in relief. She wasn't the only one in the waters however. The second she has surfaced, Norris, Agathon and Cain had started swimming towards her, apparently already in the process of searching for her.

A brief tug on her ankle reminded her what she was supposed to be doing. She started swimming towards the shore, going right past the men when she reached them. In fact, she didn't stop until she was on land, at which point she stumbled to her feet, adjusting to having solid land under her again.

"My Angel, what happened?" her mother asked, being the first to reach her.

There wasn't a minute to lose though. "Sorry, I'll explain later," she said, pushing everyone away and breaking into a run for the palace. People were yelling behind her, demanding answers, but she wasn't going to waste the breath. As strange a thought as it was, the mermaids were counting on her. She just kept running.

Bursting through the doors of the palace, she barely broke stride, pausing only when her bare feet slid on the smooth marble. She was leaving a trail of water in her wake, her clothes and hair dripping everywhere. As she ran up a flight of stairs, her feet slipped from under her and she nearly face-planted, barely catching herself in time before scrambling up again. She could hear the footsteps behind her, gaining ground as her entourage caught up. She was almost there.

"_Abigail!_" DG crashed into the infirmary, startling the healers and the few patients they had. The blonde medic whirled around, eyes wide at her shouted name. "I need your help, now!"

Abigail rushed over, eyes taking in the Queen's drenched appearance, listening to her harsh breaths and noting her flushed skin. "What is it, what's happened?"

"I need six vials of the Smintheus vaccine and a way to administer them. Now."

The medic's mouth dropped open as a bolt of fear went through her heart. "What? Who has the virus, let me see to them!"

DG shook her head, her foot tapping impatiently. "No, that's not possible. Just get me the vaccine, I can't wait!"

"What the _hell_ is going on?" Norris demanded, finally catching up to DG. He was just as soaked as the Queen as he came to a halt next to her. Abigail's eyes took in his saturated body before whirling around and moving to a cabinet, face ablaze. Norris hardly noticed though, his livid focus on his charge, all traces of formality gone. "Well?"

DG barely glanced at him, watching Abigail get together the vaccine. "I'll explain later."

Norris growled low in his chest. "You'll explain now. You disappear underwater for far longer than any person could possibly hold their breath and then you suddenly reappear and take off?"

"Dammit, Norris, not now! Abigail!"

"I'm coming," the medic muttered, moving a tray over to a side table. She waved DG closer, pointing to the instruments. "Six vials of the vaccine to the Smintheus virus as well as six injectors. Now would you mind telling me why you need this and why I can't see the patient?"

Grabbing a canvas bag, DG started shoving the vials inside, trying to be as careful as possible, but still trembling with adrenaline. "Later. I promise." She slipped the strap over her head and then turned, bolting out of the room. Norris swore before taking off after her once again.

This time, DG nearly fell _down_ the stairs in her haste to get back outside. Her bare feet remained wet, thanks to the constant stream of water from her trousers. Servants and advisors darted out of the way as she ran past. Cain and Agathon were just entering at the doors of the palace, their eyes wide as DG blew past them.

"Deeg!" She didn't stop at Cain's call, though she heard them start after her once again. Her legs were burning, not used to having to work so much in such a short amount of time. She promised herself she would collapse and never move again once this was all over. But until then, she had work to do. Her family was standing awkwardly around the lake, amazed that she was running back towards them. They called out to her, but she ignored them as well. And to everyone's surprise, she ran to the end of the dock and dove back into the water.

She hadn't even stopped moving before the scaly arm was around her waist once again, dragging her down to the bottom of the lake. DG's hands convulsively grasped the canvas bag and its precious cargo, not willing to lose it after all that. Before they had reached their destination, DG reached over and grabbed one of the reeds out of the mermaid's hand—her lungs were working overtime right now and she couldn't hold her breath very long as it was.

In no time at all they were back with the other merpeople. Fumbling with the bag, DG drew out a vial and injector, putting them together as every set of golden eyes watched her. She swallowed the contents of another reed and then moved closer to one of the sick. The healthy ones visibly bristled at her proximity, but she ignored them: they brought her here to save them and she was going to do that.

Once she was in front of one of the unconscious mermaids though, she was at a loss as to where to put the injection. On a human, she would have either jammed it in their thigh, close to the femoral artery, but they didn't have legs. She might aim for the heart, but she didn't know where their heart was. . .if they even technically _had_ a heart. And was it going to penetrate the scales?

Sensing her confusion, her guide moved forward and lifted one of the patient's arms, motioning to softer, scaleless skin. DG nodded and placed the injector against the skin and pushed the button to push the vaccine into her system. There was no immediate reaction, but DG wasn't expecting one—it had taken Cain hours to return to consciousness, after all. Sucking down more oxygen from the reeds, she moved to each mermaid and merman, injecting them in the same place.

At the end, the merpeople were staring intently at their sick, waiting for them to stir and return to normal. DG tapped on her drowned watch, hoping they understood it would take time. Her guide nodded and moved closer, wrapping an arm around her waist. DG turned to look at the sick merpeople once again, wishing she could stay and see if it worked or not. But she needed a deep breath of air and soon; she was starting to get lightheaded.

Unable to do much more than wave idiotically at the merpeople, she was whisked away, back to the surface. When she could see the reflecting plane above her, DG twisted to see her guide one last time. She desperately wanted to talk to her, to communicate in some way that would let the creature know she wanted to meet again. The mermaid only gave her a toothy smile before pushing the Queen towards the surface and speeding away.

DG's head broke through the water and she immediately gasped in the air, coughing violently as her lungs spasmed. For a brief moment she fell back into the water before she remembered to kick her legs—she wasn't being supported by a mermaid anymore. Once again, yells and splashing echoed all around her, growing steadily louder. She shook her head to try and get the water out of her eyes so she could see how far away from the shore she was; she wasn't entirely sure that she had the strength to swim back there.

A firm arm went around her waist and she gasped, instinctively pulling away. "Easy, Sweetheart," Cain said, tightening his hold on her. "It's just me. Are you okay?"

She coughed again but nodded, unable to stop herself from relaxing against him. "Yeah. Tired though. Without the adrenaline, I'm crashing."

He started swimming towards the shore, pulling her body along with him. "Don't crash yet, you still have a hell of a lot of explaining to do." Norris and Agathon reached them then and swum alongside the pair, ready to help, if need be. DG just closed her eyes and half-heartedly paddled along, trying not to be such a deadweight.

As soon as they reached the dock, they helped her onto the wooden planks where she collapsed, exhausted. "Just let me lay here a minute," she gasped, waving them off. "I'm fine, I just really need to rest a second." She closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing and trying to slow her heart. Someone moved her hair off her shoulder and placed two fingers at her neck, checking her pulse. She opened her eyes to glare at Cain. "I said I'm fine."

"Humor me," he replied. After a minute he nodded. "Deeg, you need to explain to me how the hell you aren't dead right now."

She frowned, glancing around to see similar expressions on her family's faces. "What do you mean? How long was I under?" She was so focused on the merpeople, all sense of time had left her.

"I'd say ten minutes. Long enough to convince me that you had drowned."

DG reached up a hand to Cain's dripping face, instantly remorseful. She hadn't meant to scare him, or anyone else for that matter. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to help them."

"Help who?"

A round of gasps rifled through the group, followed instantly by shocked mutterings. DG pushed herself up with one hand and looked out over the lake, not surprised by what she saw. Her guide was clearly visible, only waist deep in the water. Her golden-green scales glittered in the bright sun, her kelp-like hair wrapping around her torso.

"Them," DG replied, a smile on her face. She climbed to her knees on the edge of the dock, making sure the mermaid could see her. Her guide locked eyes with the Queen then lowered her face until her chin nearly touched the water, when she then spread her arms wide, angling upward.

Another gasp went through the crowd. "What?" DG murmured, not breaking eye contact. "What does that mean?"

"She's honoring you," Tutor said, close enough to hear her question. "She's pledging her allegiance to you."

"Sweetheart, what did you _do_?" Cain asked, amazed. The mermaid straightened and then reached a hand below the water, pulling upward. A head broke the surface, another set of luminous gold eyes fixing on the crowd. DG grinned widely, recognizing one of the sick merpeople, who was clearly already recovering.

"I helped them. They were sick and brought me there, hoping I could heal them. I guess I did." She didn't know the proper protocol for this kind of interaction, even after all her time on the throne—after all, no one had heard anything from the merpeople for hundreds of years. So she bent forward with her arms wide out, mimicking the gesture her guide had given her. The mermaid gave a toothy grin before nodding. Then, with a quiet splash, she and her companion were gone.

Cain suddenly wrapped his arms around her, kissing her temple. "You never cease to amaze me," he whispered. "Now come on, let's get you inside so you can explain to all of us what in the world just happened."

DG let him haul her up, her legs not quite up to the task of supporting her yet. She didn't think she could feel more at peace: her magic had helped her, certainly, but it was her quick thinking and compassion that had saved the lives of the merpeople. For the first time in a long time she thought that maybe she was cut out for this Queen business after all.

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**So, what did you think? I have some serious reservations about this chapter, but I just couldn't futz with it anymore, so here it is. In a way, I'm oddly fond of the third section with the mermaids. . .though it gave me a huge headache in trying to find a way DG could breathe underwater—I couldn't get past the image of Cedric Digory with a bubble around his face.**

**I do know what the next chapter is going to be and it should be interesting. . .hehe. Though I should mention that I promised Effie a small Abby/Norris piece. Would anyone else be interested in seeing this small, missing scene once it's written? If there's enough interest, I might just post it here as another interlude. We'll see.**

**Also! Coronation has been nominated at the Tin Man Fiction Awards in the category of Best Original Character! You all really love Norris don't you? When the voting begins, please go on over and vote. . .even if it's not for me, support some of those wonderful stories out there!**

**And that's all for now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and please let me know what you think. If you leave an anonymous review, leave your email address so I can send a response! I value all feedback, especially constructive criticism. Thanks so much for reading and sticking with me, you guys are the best!**


	14. The First Natural Disaster

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. As for the atrocious wait... um... sorry? I know I have a lot to apologize for, and the list will grow by the end of this piece. Beware of horribly long (but necessary) author's note at the end.**

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**DG would give anything to be warm and dry again. She tried to daydream about a roaring fire and hot chocolate and flannel pajamas. But the pouring rain doused her body and her thoughts and always pulled her back—screaming—into reality. A reality where she was hurriedly filling bags with sand and trying to save a village from the swelling river nearby.

Mud squelched under her boots with each step she took, hauling another bag onto the makeshift barrier they were constructing. All around her villagers, guards and advisors were working feverishly, doing what they could to save the small town from the rising waters. DG had to admit that she was proud of her staff. . .they hardly questioned her anymore. As soon as the rain started and she told them to get outside and start filling bags, they hadn't even protested—just turned and obeyed her. Maybe they had finally realized that they could only ever trust their Queen to do the unexpected.

DG swiped at her eyes, taking a brief moment to take a breath and check on everyone's progress. They were working quickly, considering all the extra hands, but it wouldn't be enough. The river was rising too fast and she feared a sudden swell would send the wall over and destroy everything in its path.

She wasn't going to give up though. A shout drew her attention and she quickly moved over to Cain and Norris, who were filling bags together. Cain handed her an empty bag and picked up the shovel, giving her the easier of the jobs. As tempting as it was to yell at him, she didn't have the extra energy to. Norris grabbed two of the filled bags in his thick hands and stacked them on the wall, pounding them into position.

"This won't be enough," he said, his voice deadened by the rain as he leaned over to pick up more.

"I know," DG replied, keeping her voice low to prevent the others from hearing it. "But we have to try. If we're lucky, the rain will stop and the river will abate. We have to hope that we'll still make it."

"Deeg," Cain grunted, digging the shovel into the ground. "I know you don't want to hear it, but we have to think about getting you away. If that wall collapses and the waters come towards us, you could be swept away."

DG twisted the top of the bag closed and glared up at Cain, water dripping off her lashes. "No, I don't want to hear it. You know me and danger: I could care less about it. Besides, it tends to find me no matter where I go. I'm not leaving, Wyatt, not until this is over with."

"My Lady, at least consider taking a break and getting out of the rain for a minute."

"Are you taking a break?" Norris's eyes slid away from hers. "No, you're not. None of the people out here are taking a break, because we can't afford to waste the time or manpower. Don't waste your breath trying to convince me otherwise." She put her head back down to the ground, tying off another bag.

They worked in silence for another hour, not bothering to spend the breath on talk when they needed every bit of energy to keep moving. Switching positions regularly to give each other a relative break, they continued shoveling, tying and hauling as the water line rose higher and higher.

Dismayed shouts broke the tedium and brought their attention round. The water had risen high enough that it was now licking the top of the sand wall, small waves pushing the water over and letting it pool on the other side.

"Damnit," DG hissed, throwing her shovel down. "Okay, that's it. It won't be enough, no matter how much longer we work. We need to get everyone out of here now." Cain nodded and turned, yelling out orders.

Norris didn't even bother tying the bag in his hands. "My Lady, we must go now."

DG shook her head, droplets swinging off the ends of her hair. "No. I need to make sure everyone gets out okay first. I wouldn't be surprised if half these people refuse to give up and I will not leave while they remain behind to die."

"My Lady—"

"Stop, Norris. If you want me to leave, then help Cain evacuate the village." Her bodyguard clenched his teeth, but nodded. Turning, he began to add his voice to Cain's, yelling at people to get a move on and abandon their tasks. DG stood off to the side, arms crossed over her chest as she watched, eyes darting from the river, back to the people and mentally trying to calculate just how much time they had left.

She should have known it wouldn't be enough.

The dull roar in the distance was the first clue. The panicked screams from the people was the second clue. The wave of water rushing towards them was the third. The wall was going to collapse in seconds, under the pressure of this new surge. And the people would never be able to get away in time.

Barely aware of her sodden feet moving, DG ran towards the wall, ducking past Norris and dodging Cain's outstretched hand. She wove around fleeing villagers, the lone fish against the tide. She slipped and fell several times, her boots sinking in the mud and her clothes plastered to her body. But she kept moving, shouting at the villagers to run faster, to get out of the way.

When the gush of water reached their hastily constructed wall, DG had just reached the last of the villagers. She could hear Cain's terrified cries behind her, unintelligible beneath the screaming wave. Just as the wall collapsed and the water rushed towards her, she crouched down, held up her hands and _pushed_.

In a flash of gold, her magic sprung to life, creating a barrier against the water. She couldn't extend it enough to stop the water entirely, but she was able to protect the area that herself and all the villagers were in. She could faintly hear them yelling behind her, whether in fear or awe, she couldn't tell. As long as they were still evacuating, she couldn't care less.

All her attention though was on her magic and on not letting the barrier collapse—if it did, she would be swept away and either drown or suffer as her fragile body was bashed against trees and rocks, uncontrolled in the tide. DG grit her teeth and curled her fingers slightly, trying to get a firmer grasp on her magic. The force of the water kept battering against the barrier, trying desperately to find a way through like a sentient being. The pitch in her ears began to climb, began to become painful and drown everything else out.

Her breathing grew more labored with each second as her hands began to shake. Though the water still banged against her shield, it was doing so with less intensity now, slowly dying down. She couldn't let her magic go though, not yet. She had to give the villagers as much time as possible to escape.

The water had finally retreated to the level of their constructed wall and the strain against the barrier had significantly diminished. She couldn't hear anything beyond the pitch in her ears and the desperate gasping breathes rattling through her chest. Blinking owlishly, DG shook her head one last time, trying to clear her eyes. Then, hoping she had bought them enough time, she lowered her hands, let go of her magic and fell to the ground.

She never hit the mud though. Two arms caught her and swept her upward, keeping her above the rush of the water pouring in through the new opening of the wall. Shouts invaded her mind, people yelling for more sandbags and that they needed to rebuild the wall. She should have been mad that they weren't evacuated. But she couldn't work up the strength to open her eyes, let alone go on a tirade.

"How is she?" The tense voice belonged to Norris.

"I don't know," Cain replied. She could feel his voice through his chest. "She hasn't opened her eyes, but she isn't bleeding either. Deeg? I need you to wake up, Sweetheart."

She wanted to reply, but she was too tired to make her jaw work. It was starting to get frustrating actually—apparently she was drained enough to make all physical movement impossible, but she wasn't drained enough to actually pass out. It was an uncomfortable and inconvenient limbo.

"Damnit," Norris growled, callused fingers going to her neck. "She's still alive, but I don't like this. . .coma she's in. She always bled before she fell unconscious. So what's wrong?"

"I told you, I don't know," Cain snarled. DG fingers twitched as she ached to reach up and slap the two men. Neither saw the action. "I'm going to get her inside and try to warm her up, see if that helps. Finish rebuilding the wall then see what damage was done."

"Right. At least she managed to save the village—it all would have been lost without her."

"I know," Cain sighed. "Stupid, stupid girl. Go. I'll let you know if she wakes up." Norris sloshed off and Cain moved forward, carrying DG somewhere out of the rain and into warmth. He gently set her down on a soft surface. "You're starting to worry me, Sweetheart. I know it was a brave thing you did, trying to save everyone, but it was very stupid too. If you had let go a minute earlier the water would have been too much. You cut it too close." He sighed and caressed her cheek, pushing her wet hair out of the way. "But I guess that's part of the reason I love you so much. You take chances because it's best for everyone else. You do what's right without hardly a thought. You amaze me each and every day DG. You frustrate me to hell, but you amaze me too." He paused again, as if waiting for her to respond. Even if she could though, DG had a feeling she would be stunned speechless. She started to focus on making her body work. Cain grasped her hand and brought it to his face, kissing her palm. "Please, Sweetheart. Wake up."

Fighting against her own exhaustion, DG cracked her eyes open, waiting until they focused before she turned her attention to Cain. "Wyatt," she croaked, her voice weak.

Cain's face broke out in a relieved smile. He leaned forward and kissed her before pulling back and cupping her face gently. "Marry me," he murmured.

_That_ was enough to break DG out of her temporary paralysis. Her eyes widened and all of her limbs twitched. "What?" she choked, voice high and strained.

He pulled back a bit, grabbing one of her hands within his own and leaving the other on her cheek. "I know this isn't some elaborate, romantic proposal, but I can't wait long enough to plan one. I love you, DG. In fact, I fall more in love with you each day, with each word you speak and every thing you do. I love you. And the only thing I am sure of is that I cannot bear to live without you. So, DG? Will you marry me?"

It took barely a moment before her face broke out into a brilliant smile, eyes shining and face glowing underneath the raindrops on her skin. "Yes." Cain's smile was indescribable as he leaned forward to kiss her again, with as much passion as he dared to use in her drained state. She kissed back as well as she was able, unwilling to stop the moment for any reason.

DG couldn't help but idly wonder why they seemed to have their most defining moments during disasters. But then again, she didn't really care _when_ they happened so long as they _did_ happen. Enough strength returned to her body that she was able to reach her hand up and twine it through the short hairs at the base of Cain's neck. Her future husband's neck.

Flooding, magical drain and weakness be damned. Life was good.

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**So. Let's begin with apologies, shall we? I apologize for the wait. I never meant for it to stretch this long. But I've had absolutely no desire to write in the past two months. As it is, I kinda had to force this one out, and I think it shows. Therefore, I also apologize for the quality of this piece. I truly feel that it is subpar and not up to my normal standards. You guys are so amazing and you deserve the best, so I'm sorry for the lack of polish here. Similarly, I'm sorry it's so short. Well, short for me.**

**Now. Here's the unfortunate, bad news, but please read it all! I am marking this story as complete. When I started this series, I always intended each chapter to be its own complete story with its own conflict and resolution. That way, should I fall off the face of the earth, no one is left with a cliffhanger. There is a **_**slight**_** chance I might return and add more chapters; I do have ideas written down that I never got to (including Effie's Norris piece *wince*). But I am not going to promise that these pieces will ever be written. I feel like DG and Cain are in a good place right now—happy and (relatively) safe. There's some resolution here, which is all I can ask for.**

**While I am sorry to say it, I think this is the end. I just don't have the drive for this story anymore and lately I've been feeling the pull to return to my original fiction and start knocking my book into shape. The one thing that has kept me going though is you guys. Even when my attention first began to wan, I kept at it because you are simply the best reviewers I've ever had. I adore each and every one of you and I cherish each review. I try to respond to every review I get (though I know I missed a few the last time around, so I'm sorry to those that didn't get a reply from me!).**

**My last request is that you please review and let me know what you think, both about this chapter and Coronation as a whole. Whether you reply the day this chapter is posted or two years after it's posted, I truly love your reviews. Thank you all for sticking with me and I hope that you enjoyed this story. With any luck, I'll be back. But if not, thanks for everything! You all are simply the best!**

**Alexandra**


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